#Dot Net Assignment Help

[transmutationisms]

yea this is just not a computer i can play disco elysium on lol thank you tumblr dot net for helping me try. also when i was failing to solve this i did notice that it assigns the wrong date to most of my downloads lmao like it just decides things were downloaded on random dates in august 2022 i don't know why. personal y2k

[tacetnix]

"Don't Deal with a Dragon" shadowrun ozzy???? shadowrun ozzy????? i dont know shit about shadowrun but may i get a shadowrun ozzy??

Send me "Don't Deal with a Dragon" and I'll assign your character a Shadowrun character concept" | ACCEPTING

---- In the depths of Europe, a tiny village is barely a dot on a map. They have connection to the Matrix, but they're the kind of remote that GridGuide never even considered them as a possible place to implement self-driving cars. After all, the vehicle population was on average older than the company itself. These were a people that didn't need to be sold cars.

But what they were sold was a religion. They were sold mechanical workers to help till their fields and clear the snow and hang up the lights for their blackbird rites and rituals.

This was a place that used the Matrix as one did the old 'net. Watching videos, for trideo development was unnecessary. Why have holograms when a handyman or codejockey could turn the scrap of old satellite tech into uplinks, route 'em to old televisions that would make even the most tech-illiterate sprawler gag.

In a village such as this... who would expect the pastor of the church to be one of the most technologically-advanced of his people? To have made pilgrimage to the cities of Europe, taken of their strengths, while maintaining the humility of his position? A man with a flock of crows, who learned to adapt to the changing times, rather than stay stuck in tradition and rite. A flock of chrome bones and cameras for eyes, with minds of code made to evoke the personalities and livelihood of the corvid they impersonate.

---- The man was a Rigger, whose spine and nerves had been invaded by technology, who could connect to compatible vehicles and drones and become them. The twitch of a finger flexes pistons, a tensed shoulder turns the steering axle, a clenching of the diaphragm introduces gas into the engine and the car goes. Eyes become windows into the soul of the machine, cameras on the dashboard giving the rigger an out-of-body experience... and far more granular control than was otherwise humanly possible. Each and every one of his bird-drones, made to look like the real things, could be inhabited, the only indication that anything was any different was that the bird would go still. It would 'forget to act', and it would pay more attention. Blink... and you'd miss it. The less said about any magician who claims "Raven" as their mentor spirit in his presence, the better.

Any of Father Oswald's birds could be possessed so, lending an air of credibility to tales of children and sinners being watched by the godly. When money grew tight, the preacher would leave sermons for... who? Altar boys? The devout? Someone would have to tend to the village whilst he travels to the cities, he would indulge in their lights and their vices, and be paid to smuggle, kill, and steal.

His body is marred by cyberware; smuggler's compartments form pockets that were taut in his youth, and remain strengthened by their implantation despite the rigors of age around them. Small pouches in the flesh, large enough and water-tight to carry things over borders and through rent-a-cop inspections. Obvious chrome keeps others from searching the old flesh, and law enforcement are all the more fools for it.

---- Accompanied by crows, the runner known as "Flock" keeps abreast of developments in the nearby cities. Old friends, from before he went into retirement ("this time for certain" he would say, lasting anywhere from months to years before he took another run) do not reach out first. They always wait, and they always think of him when opportunities flitter over their commlinks, trickling down through the shadownet and across their desks. How many crews has he run with, missions and schemes concocted over weeks or months, executed to perfection before he left for his little village again, several thousand nuyen the richer, and expecting never to see comrades and coworkers again?

How many times did he leave with one of their number left in a shallow grave?

No, Flock was an enigma, and in his career he's forgotten more than most runners ever get to learn. He was alive when the first Orks and Elves were born, when the dragons emerged and the Sixth World was made manifest. His has been a life of adapting to an ever-changing landscape, more aware than any of you how fluid the Megas' hold on the world truly are, no matter how monolithic and untouchable they present themselves. He is a sailor, and he is guided by only one north star.

PRIORITY TABLE: AACEE [ Skills / Attributes / Resources / Magic & Resonance / Metatype ]

A - SKILLS (46 points for individual Skills, 10 points for Skill Groups)]

A - ATTRIBUTES (24) [ Spread between BODY / AGILITY / REACTION / STRENGTH / WILLPOWER / LOGIC / INTUITION / CHARISMA, usually starting at 1/6, but different Metatypes have different starts and limits ]

C - RESOURCES (140,000¥) [ Spend this before starting the game to determine what your character owns; you cannot keep more than ~1,200¥ after your spending spree. This accounts for buying your lifestyle, clothes, armor, weapons, vehicles/drones, etc. ]

E - METATYPE ("choose one"; just kidding, Priority E Metatype locks you to being human.) >> Human (1) [ Add the number after your metatype to your EDGE attribute. EDGE is your 'Luck' stat.

E - MAGIC or RESONANCE (NONE, you're MUNDANE, old man!)

[gigalayer]

Understanding Domain Names

A domain name is the online address of a website. You would require a website's domain in order to locate it online. It functions similarly to a home's address fully dedicated to you.

Importance of Domain names:

It allows your website to be more recognizable to potential customers.

A Good domain name can also help your SEO (search engine optimization) and act as a marketing tool. This is because it would appear in searches and direct more traffic to the website.

It allows you to maintain brand ownership and brand protection.

Using a domain name is simple. You would be able to keep your domain name if you had to relocate to a different country or switch hosting providers. The identity that you have developed is unaffected by your domain name's global reach.

Different Aspects of a Domain Name

An essential part of the internet that converts domain names into IP addresses is the Domain Name System (DNS). It serves as a directory, enabling users to visit websites by entering memorable domain names rather than complex IP addresses. DNS servers are dispersed worldwide and work together to provide fast and dependable domain name resolution. They hold information about domain names and their IP addresses, allowing users to visit websites by just putting in the domain name. On the Internet, root servers are located on 13 different servers. Each of these servers keeps a copy of the same file, which serves as the primary index for the address books on the Internet.

Domain Name Structure

A domain comprises of numerous labels, separated by a dot. Each label indicates a level and location within the DNS. Subdomains are extensions added to the primary domain name that are used to classify and arrange various website components. A dot separates them from the primary domain name, like blog.gigalayer.com. Subdomains can be used to host distinct content, build distinct websites, or grant access to particular services.

Verisign runs the leading domain name registries for two of the most significant top-level domains on the Internet,.com and.net, and contributes to the security, stability, and resilience of the DNS and the internet.

Top Level Domains: This is the last part of a domain name after the last dot. An example of this is .com. IANA, a branch of ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers), is in charge of regulating TLDs. Top level domains can be generic (gTLDs) such as .com, .org, or .net. They could also be (ccTLDs) which are country code top level domains such as .ng, .uk or za. In addition to this, there are sponsored top level domains (sTLDs) such as .edu or .gov.

Second Level Domains: This is the main identifier of the website as it holds the name of the website. In the case of www.gigalayer.com, “gigalayer” would be the SLD. This is because It comes before the last dot.

Subdomain: With the use of subdomains, website owners can establish distinct areas or subsites inside their primary website. For instance, a business might have a blog under a different domain. For example blog.gigalayer.com.

Registering a Domain Name

There are three R's in the domain registration procedure: Registrar, Registrant, and Registry.

Registry: A domain registry is a centralized database with current data about domain names and their associated owners. A sizable organisation that oversees the top-level domain is in charge of this database.

Registrar: a domain registrar's primary responsibility is to make domain names accessible to the general public and assist the registry in updating its records upon a customer's purchase.

Registrant: The registrant, who may be an individual or a company, registers a domain with a registrar and uses them to maintain their domain information and settings.

What can you do with a Domain name

A domain name can be used for a variety of purposes. The ability to establish a website is the primary purpose of a domain name. It could also be used to start a blog. By doing this, domain forwarding will be enabled, allowing you to access the blog or social networking page by forwarding your domain name to another website. After creating a website, hosting bespoke email addresses is the second most popular use of a domain name. Given that it includes your company name, it gives your email a more professional look. Furthermore, a variety of cloud services and apps can be utilised with domain names.

IP Address and Domain Names

An IP address is a special number that is given to every internet-connected device. Unlike IP addresses, domain names (such as google.com or wikipedia.org) are simpler for people to type and remember. They act as a link or identity for a specific IP address. DNS servers, which are dispersed around the internet, keep track of domain names and the IP addresses that go with them.To locate the relevant IP address and connect you to the website, your computer uses the DNS.

In order to prevent duplication or conflicts, ICANN assists in coordinating the distribution of IP addresses. Additionally, ICANN serves as the primary IP address storage centre, from which ranges are provided to regional registries, who then disperse them to network operators. 

The WHOIS directory can be used as a tool to find out who owns IP addresses and domain names. WHOIS  is a public list of domain names together with the individuals or groups linked to each name. 

-- Maryam I.

[destinyhrgroupservices]

Why IT Recruitment Agencies Matter?

In today’s technology-driven world, finding skilled IT talent is critical for businesses aiming to innovate and stay competitive. Whether for startups or established firms, IT recruitment agencies simplify the hiring process by providing access to a pool of vetted and experienced candidates. Destiny HR Group stands out as one of India’s leading IT recruitment agencies, offering tailored hiring solutions for various industries. With a specialized focus on IT recruitment, Destiny HR Group has successfully partnered with top companies, making IT hiring smooth and efficient.

Understanding IT Recruitment Services What Is IT Recruitment?

IT recruitment involves hiring professionals skilled in areas like software development, network management, data analysis, cybersecurity, and cloud computing. As technology advances, the demand for such professionals grows. But the recruitment process in IT can be time-consuming and challenging, which is where agencies like Destiny HR Group come in.

Why Use an IT Recruitment Agency?

Hiring for technical roles requires a keen understanding of the specific skills and qualifications needed. An IT recruitment agency has specialized knowledge in assessing technical talent, which ensures you only interview candidates who are highly qualified for the job.

Why Choose Destiny HR Group as Your IT Recruitment Partner?

Expertise in IT Recruitment

Destiny HR Group has over 13 years of experience in IT recruitment, specifically in the IT, ITES, and media sectors. Our recruitment specialists understand the nuances of IT roles, allowing us to quickly identify candidates with the right skills and experience. With an in-depth understanding of technologies such as PHP, Dot Net, Java, Python, and cloud-based platforms, Destiny HR Group delivers candidates who meet the technical needs of today’s IT landscape.

Flexible Hiring Solutions

Destiny HR Group provides a range of hiring solutions, from permanent staffing to contract-to-hire and project-based recruitment. We recognize that companies may have different needs for their IT teams, whether long-term roles or temporary project-based assignments. Our flexible solutions help companies scale their IT workforce based on project requirements and business goals.

Access to a Wide Talent Pool

One of the biggest advantages of working with Destiny HR Group is our access to a large and diverse talent pool. With our network, we can quickly match your company with skilled IT professionals across various technical specializations. Whether you need software developers, data scientists, or network administrators, Destiny HR Group’s network covers it all.

Streamlined Recruitment Process

Hiring through an IT recruitment agency like Destiny HR Group saves your company valuable time and resources. Our process includes candidate sourcing, screening, interviewing, and skill assessment, which ensures that only the most suitable candidates reach the final stage. Our team also handles the administrative work involved, from scheduling interviews to managing paperwork, making recruitment hassle-free.

Key IT Roles Destiny HR Group Specializes In At Destiny HR Group, we cater to various in-demand IT roles. Here are some key areas we specialize in:

Software Development – PHP, Java, Python, Dot Net, Angular, and NodeJS developers. Data and Analytics – Data scientists, data analysts, and machine learning engineers. Cloud Computing – AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud engineers. Cybersecurity – Security analysts, network security engineers, and ethical hackers. Project Management – IT project managers and Scrum Masters. By focusing on these high-demand roles, Destiny HR Group can help companies build strong IT teams that can drive growth and innovation.

Benefits of Partnering with Destiny HR Group

Reduced Time to Hire

With Destiny HR Group, the time to hire for IT roles is significantly reduced. Our recruitment experts work swiftly to shortlist candidates, reducing the average time to fill roles by leveraging a deep network of IT professionals. A faster hiring process means your company can focus on core operations without delays in staffing.

Cost Efficiency

Recruitment costs can quickly add up, especially if the hiring process is prolonged. By partnering with Destiny HR Group, companies can reduce recruitment expenses. Our agency handles the entire recruitment process, reducing the need for costly advertisements, multiple rounds of interviews, and extensive background checks.

Quality Assurance

We believe in quality over quantity. Our team conducts rigorous assessments of candidates’ technical skills, problem-solving capabilities, and cultural fit. Destiny HR Group provides only the most qualified candidates, ensuring you can onboard professionals ready to contribute effectively from day one.

Industry-Specific Knowledge

Destiny HR Group’s in-depth industry knowledge helps us tailor our recruitment solutions to meet specific industry demands. Whether hiring for a fintech company, e-commerce platform, or media agency, our team understands the unique challenges each sector faces, allowing us to provide recruitment solutions that are both relevant and effective.

Destiny HR Group's Proven Recruitment Methodology Our success is built on a structured recruitment methodology designed to find the best IT talent.

Client Consultation – We start by understanding your company’s goals, project requirements, and desired candidate profile. This step allows us to tailor our recruitment process to meet your unique needs.

Candidate Sourcing – Destiny HR Group has a network of IT professionals and uses advanced sourcing techniques, including digital platforms, networking events, and industry connections.

Screening and Assessment – Our recruitment experts conduct initial screenings, technical assessments, and behavioral interviews to ensure candidates meet your specific requirements.

Interview Coordination and Offer Management – We assist in coordinating interviews between the client and candidate and manage the offer process, ensuring a smooth onboarding experience.

How Destiny HR Group Supports IT Candidates In addition to serving companies, Destiny HR Group also supports job seekers by offering:

Career Counseling – Our recruiters provide career advice to help candidates find roles that match their skills and career goals. Resume and Interview Preparation – We offer guidance to job seekers on creating resumes that showcase their strengths and on preparing for interviews. Access to Top Companies – Destiny HR Group connects candidates with leading companies, helping them secure rewarding opportunities. Conclusion: Choose Destiny HR Group for Your IT Recruitment Needs As a trusted IT recruitment agency, Destiny HR Group simplifies the hiring process for companies by connecting them with highly skilled IT talent. Our commitment to quality, client satisfaction, and deep industry expertise has made us a preferred partner for numerous businesses. With flexible hiring solutions, a streamlined recruitment process, and access to a vast talent pool, Destiny HR Group is ready to meet your IT staffing needs. Partner with us to build a talented IT team that can take your company to new heights.

[weeklyweirdnews]

New Cohorts

Well future weirdos, It wasn't too difficult to pass off my experience as...period appropriate to the society. Crossed my t's and dotted my i' s, and I'm already assigned to a case with a couple other members. We didn't have time for an introduction per say, as a new case dropped into the society's before we had the chance, and I was tasked with meeting Mr. Heislan and Ms. Bishop regarding a Mr. Merriweather, a professor at Arkham university who seems to be one his deathbed and is requesting the aid of the society. It's so strange to examine these facilities in this era. The way people dress, the way they talk, it all being before the collapse of the social safety nets. I must remain mindful to not let slip things which would betray the truth of when I'm from. Mr. Heislan seems like a common enough specimen of a man, a bit burly and a bit bawdy, but not in a bad way. Ms. Bishop strikes me as rather sharp, and would be the more dangerously intelligent of my new cohorts if I were to take a guess. Both asked reasonable questions of Mr. Merriweather, Who looked to be in very poor shape as he told us of a Farmhouse in the sticks in which he and his friends summoned a Djinn into during his youth. Seems like his fear as he reaches the end of the road is that the creature will be able to escape with his passing, and he's tasked the society with preventing this terrible fate. I can sense a degree of incredulity from Heislan and Bishop, but this is exactly the sort of thing which I'd become accustomed to in my time. Based on the diary's I've read from Mr. Merriweather, This Djinn sounds like a rough customer with a very poor disposition, and this job may be very dangerous indeed. Still getting a feel for how much I can count on the others, but in the meantime working to be a valuable addition to the team. We stopped by the Orne library on the way back from the hospital in the hopes of gathering more information, the only thing we learned of value is that there is a forbidden books section to the library. I'm burning with curiosity at the sort of secrets might be contained within, but held my tongue in front of professor Henry Armitage. A bit of kissing up, and bit of polite interest...in due time I'll get access, but not today. Seems like it requires more approval than we have time to get. At the behest of Heislan We then checked in with a professor of the occult named Rigby who seemed well meaning, but had very little in the way of specific help save for suggesting that we carefully investigate this situation and not go in half cocked. We're headed to Ross's Corners, the town closest to the farmhouse to get it started. Hopefully Mr. Merriweather can hold out until we have locked away the monster he's brought to our world, or perhaps prove he's simply a madman, but something about the way he presented himself, the writings he left behind I...don't think he's mad, and I don't think he's lying. We're going to need to be very careful. Here's to hoping that my diary does not become evidence of my own foolish mistakes for another intrepid investigator to wonder about my sanity upon reading. Till next Entry future weirdos, Heather Parker

[scoopen]

Mastery of .NET: Join the Best Dot Net Classes in Pune with Scoopen

In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, the demand for skilled professionals in .NET development continues to soar. As businesses worldwide embrace digital transformation, the importance of robust, scalable, and secure applications built on the dot-NET framework cannot be overstated. If you're looking to harness the power of dot-NET and position yourself as a sought-after developer, look no further than Scoopen's best-in-class dot NET classes in Pune.

Unlocking the Potential of Dot NET

At Scoopen, we understand the significance of mastering the dot NET framework, and our courses are designed to empower you with the knowledge and skills needed to excel in this field. Whether you are new to dot NET development or seeking to deepen your expertise, our classes cater to a wide range of learners.

Why Choose Scoopen?

1. Expert Instructors

Our instructors are seasoned professionals with a deep understanding of dot NET and real-world experience in developing applications. They provide comprehensive insights and practical knowledge to help you thrive in the competitive world of software development.

2. Comprehensive Curriculum

Our dot NET classes in Pune cover a wide spectrum of topics, starting with the basics and gradually progressing to advanced concepts. You'll gain proficiency in C#, ASP.NET, MVC, and more. With hands-on projects and assignments, you'll be well-prepared to tackle real-world challenges.

3. Practical Learning

We believe in learning by doing. Our classes emphasize practical application, ensuring that you can use your skills in real-world scenarios. You won't just memorize theory; you'll build and develop actual applications.

4. Customized Learning Paths

Every student is unique, with different goals and learning preferences. Scoopen provides customized learning paths to meet individual needs, allowing you to focus on the aspects of .NET development that matter most to you.

5. State-of-the-Art Facilities

Our Pune center is equipped with modern infrastructure and cutting-edge technology to create a conducive learning environment. Whether you prefer in-person classes or online learning, we've got you covered.

Your Path to Mastery Begins Today

If you're ready to embark on your journey to mastering .NET, Scoopen is here to guide you every step of the way. Join our .NET classes in Pune, and gain the expertise that will set you apart in the competitive world of software development. Our commitment to your success goes beyond the classroom, and we're dedicated to helping you achieve your career aspirations.

Don't miss this opportunity to unlock your potential in the world of .NET development. Join the best Dot Net classes in Pune with Scoopen and take the first step toward a brighter, more successful future in technology.`

[rockmiyabideusexmachina]

Megaman Battle Network Legacy Collection Art Countdown Event!

Hi everyone, I'm back with more! I'm so sorry, I was hoping to get this started a bit earlier, but better late than never.

With the clock ticking down, we are getting ever closer to the release date of the Megaman Battle Network Legacy Collection, which launches on April 14th. And to help celebrate that, while enjoying some memories of the series, we are going to have a little art countdown event.

Read on after the break for the event rundown.

How will this work? 

Well, for starters this is an open signup, welcome to artists of any skill level. The signup will consist of you choosing one single Net Navi, virus, boss or human character from the Battle Network/EXE franchise that you would like to draw. It will be first come, first serve. Once a character has been chosen, nobody else will be able to take them. Cross Fused/Soul Unison/Cross characters will be considered their own unique character to choose from. 

To go along with the character you choose, we will also require a secondary Battle Network-related prompt to include with your character. This could be any battle chip/weapon/attack/Program Advance for a Navi, such as Kawarimi or Hi Cannon. It could be a location, such as MaHa Ichiban or SciLab, that you draw as a background. It can be a reference to an anime episode, such as baseball outfits, Neko virus or swimsuits at the hot springs. Etc., etc. 

Your character and prompt do not have to match something we have seen in the games/anime. So that way, we can have unlimited fun with it! So if you wanted to draw Meijin-san in the Aki idol outfit from the anime, or disco agent outfit Mariko-sensei, that is allowed! Create a Zoano-form for a Navi that never was in Beast or Cross Fuse a pair that never showed up in Stream. This is up to your imagination. I will list a few example prompts, but feel free to come up with your own.

Since I failed and am behind on launching this, I'm not sure if we will be able to post art for a full 30 days before the game's launch on Friday, April 14th. We can still try, if we have some fast artists and enough people join in. But the goal will be to have the first pieces submitted and ready to post 21 days before (March 24th), giving us 3 weeks of content counting down until the game's release date.

Between @tentokki​ and myself, we are going to try to keep a public spreadsheet of what has been taken updated and as current as possible as people sign up. This first day or so might be a little messy as we try to see who called who first and get everything initially set up, so try to have a backup option or two ready. While I am opening this up tonight, I might not be able to get back to everyone to update this list until tomorrow afternoon, as a disclaimer. Appreciate your patience! Please try to watch through the replies to ensure someone hasn't already called out your choice first. Once you have gotten the OK in a reply back and are added to the list, you are on the clock to begin working on your art.

There will not be a hard deadline for everyone to start out, but we will need at least one person done and ready before March 24th. Please choose a realistic deadline for yourself between March 23rd-April 14th, so that we can assign you to post on that specific day.

TLDR; When signing up, we need: 1.) A character 2.) A BN related-prompt included in your art 3.) Your own chosen deadline date between 3/24 - 4/14/2023

(View confirmed sign ups on this spreadsheet)

When you are finished, please send your art to me via DM or email [rock2125(at)hotmail(dot)com], and we will make sure you are set up a day for you to post your art. Then, when we hit that March 24th date, we will begin the countdown by having artists post their pic to their Twitter/tumblr, asking you to use the hashtag #MMBNLCCountdown in your post, along with stating the number of days remaining until the collection's release. 

If we get enough participants, then some days we might have more than 1 piece of art posted. Sky and I will then be reblogging/retweeting your posts each day, so that the focus is on your account and art. We'll continue counting down with new art each day until we reach the game's release.

What's in it for you? 

Well, besides hopefully having fun and reminscing a bit, I will also once again hold a prize/prize money raffle to give away copies of the game (standard version) for those who complete a pic. But once again, like the Valentine's Event, you will only be eligible for this raffle if you sign up, submit your art to me, and complete your art in time.

Already preordered it? Well, I'll instead offer you the cash to cover what you paid, if your name is drawn. As always, please have a valid Paypal account to receive your winnings. Total amount of prize winners not set in stone, but likely at least 6.

How to sign up! Sorry if I was not totally clear when I first posted this yesterday in my haste to get it online, but please either comment on this post, the Twitter post, or send a DM with your choices to sign up. Once again, please check the spreadsheet to see what has been taken already. The spreadsheet linked above is publicly viewable, but you are not editing or signing up on there. That is just for everyone’s reference as I officially confirm each sign up.

We will begin to assign people days to post as we get closer to the March 24th date. If you finish early, before your estimated deadline, still send it in via DM/email to me. The more people are done before March 24th, the easier it will be to organize and set up people to post on specific countdown days between  3/24-4/14.

As always, any questions, feel free to ask! First time trying this format, so we'll see how it works out!

Example Prompts (feel free to use one of these or your own!):

Devil Chip  Idol Outfit  Ghosts!  Pink Squirrel  Neko Virus Summa DIS Whiskey  Astronaut Suit  Hot Springs Disco Outfit  Baseball Uniform Buttferfly Net Car Race Star Potter Red Carpet  Copyroid  Curry Humor Program Zoo animals  Plunger on the head  Froggy trash can  Oven on fire!  Throwing your PET Jack in! Beast out!

Cannon Wide Shot Variable Sword Recovery Kawarimi Guardian Super Vulcan Dream Aura Muramasa Blade PoisonAnubis Z-Saber GunDelSol DarkSound CornShot MiniBomb Boomerang NumberBall PitHockey HyperBurst DreamSword

[thwethoobeen]

[12.18] brother!niki × older sister!reader

⇀ being the middle child is never easy. especially when your brother is a dance prodigy and your older sister is a genius. what's left for the middle child aka you ?

⇁ literally an impulsive idea

⇁ tw : (borderline) bullying, self depreciation

Niki's eyes widened as his hands became sweaty.

He didn't mean to do it. He never meant to go over the line.

But the sight of you crying in front of him made him freeze in his spot as he never saw you cry other than when he was 6 and you were pushed to the ground, scraping your knee after you defended Niki from his bullies. That was a decade ago so he kind of forgot that you could cry too.

Niki was staying at your apartment after being given some time off from his company. It was hard being part of Enhypen but he loves it to bits. You had decided to go to Korea and continue your studies there rather than in Japan. Or so you said.

Your parents had convinced you to uproot your whole life and move to Korea to be there in case Niki needs help and they can't get to him as fast as they could. They would have asked your older sister had she not been accepted to a prestigious internship program and is in the middle of her studies. It would be unfair to halt all of that to be Niki's safety net in Korea.

It was hard for you, to adjust to class spoken in Korean and living in a strange place. You love the country and you love the city, but the people there can be... harsh. It was hard enough learning a new language and adapting all by yourself, the last thing you need is to be poked fun at.

Which was exactly what had happened.

Somehow people found out that you were Niki's older sister. Maybe they connected the dots from your last name, maybe someone got a tip from sasaeng. But it happened and the news spread first in your class.

You came to class to be swarmed by people asking whether or not the news were true. Being a foreigner, it was hard for you to make friends. So it was an overwhelming experience for you. On top of being swarmed, people finding out about your famous brother wasn't helping. It started with them initially praising your brother to your face, telling you how they want Niki to know that they love him and how they think he's so talented. The way they were trying to make you a messenger to their confession left a bitter taste in your mouth. They were YOUR classmates, why do they care more about a snotty brat who don't even know they exist? That was harsh. You love your brother, he's not snotty but he is a brat.

But it didn't stop there.

Within 20 minutes, someone decided to play mental breakdown limbo with you.

"I don't get how a person as talented as Nishimura Riki has a sister as plain and burdensome like you. You can't even do a presentation properly"

And suddenly the narrative changed to "let's see how far we can push (y/n)."

So of course after a long day of being berated, the last thing you want is to be welcomed to YOUR apartment with more mockery.

The second you entered the apartment, you were greeted with the sight of Niki standing (tall) by the entranceway. He had a frown on his face that eas actually an act, but the distress of the day barred you from recognizing it as such. Seeing his stature made you freeze up immediately, your body's natural reaction from seeing an unhappy Niki from years of prioritizing his happiness over yours as the middle child.

"Where have you been?" He asked, arms crossed on his chest. "I-I was-" you wanted to tell him that you had to hide in the library so you can work on your assignment peacefully but also to cry alone. But Niki cut you off before you could say anything, "I was here all alone, I didn't know where things are so I can't cook and I can't really order in or else people would know I'm here. It's 9 pm, noona, you've been gone for over 12 hours! How could you leave your precious little brother alone like this? Huh? Do you not feel bad? Do you think mom would like this?" He smirked smugly as he taunted you.

Niki was having so much fun joking to not realize that your hands had began shaking and tears once again for the nth time that day streamed down your cheeks.

It wasn't until he heard you sniffling that his smirk dropped, eyes widened, and panic course through his body. He began stammering, not knowing what to do or say at the moment

"Yeah, sure. I'm a bad sister, I'm a bad daughter, I'm a bad person. I'm never gonna be enough, am I?" You said through sobs. As if it wasn't wide enough, Niki's eyes almost bulged out at your words. He never thought you're a bad sister. Heck, out of the two, you're his favourite sister. That's why instead of going back to Japan to spend his vacation with everyone else.

"I'm never gonna be enough and that sucks. I've made peace with it but it still sucks. Why can't everyone see that I'm trying so hard to keep it all together? If you're so burdened with the fact that I have a life, why don't you just go back to your dorm where there are more interesting people around? People who are on your level. Unlike your pathetic, good-for-nothing, loser sister," you spat, voice rising with each words before pushing past him into your room.

You locked yourself in and cried yourself to sleep that night. Niki sat in front of your door, leaning his forehead on the wood as he heard you cry. His brave and strong sister, broken down so bad and he might be at fault. Tears pooled in his eyes when he heard you chanting about how you hate yourself, about how it's useless to try. He wanted to run in and hug you, tell you how amazing and wonderful he thinks you are.

The next morning, you found Niki asleep on the floor. You felt guilty for yelling at him when he didn't do anything wrong. So you tried your best to at least drag his body to the carpet on your living room. You pulled the blanket and pillow from your bed and make sure that Niki was sleeping comfortably.

Whilst moving him around, you felt how light he was. Has he lost more weight ? Last time you dragged him around, you could've sworn there were more resistance.

So you decided to make him something to eat before hatching a plan to avoid him until he has to go back to his dorm in a couple of days. After all, the best appology is with food, right?

In the middle of preparing, you realized that there were some things missing. Sighing, you decided to run out to the store real quick after making sure you tidied up a bit..

Niki woke up 20 minutes after you left. He was confused as to how he suddenly moved from your door to the living room with your blanket and pillow. Though it took a bit of an effort (due to him still being in an incoherent state), he put two and two together and realized that you had been the one to put him there. He smiled slightly at the thought of your caring nature.

But he immediately took notice that the apartment was too quiet and that your bedroom door was ajar and the room itself was empty. He didn't know why, but his first reaction was to panic.

The boy ran around the apartment trying to look for you. But since the apartment was fairly small, it didn't take him long to decide to look for you outside.

Clad in his hoodie that covered his face, he ran out whilst hastily putting his face mask on.

The elevator ride never felt so long to Niki. It really felt like he had spent two hours on it before it reached the ground floor. Once the doors were opened, he dashed out to look for you. Though it was true that he was specifically told to keep his identity well kept by his managers, at that moment he wasn't really thinking about the repercussion of being spotted. All he cared about was finding you.

It was by sheer dumb luck that he spotted you with your grocery bag in one hand. You had your back to him so you didn't see him. He felt a huge weight lifted off his chest and immediately, he jogged to you. But as he got closer, he saw that you were talking to three guys and by the looks of it, they had just said something very amusing judging from the smug smirks on their faces.

"Were you actually hurt by what we said?" One of the guys asked. The question made Niki stopped dead in his tracks. He decided to hear what the guy had to say because there was something unsettling with how he spoke to you.

The two people next to him snickered at what the middle dude bro said. When Niki's eyes shifted to you, he could see how your stance was tense. He wondered how often have they bothered you like this.

"We're adults, (y/n), for god's sake, learn to take some criticism. What we said were both facts and highly constructive. With the way you are in class and with your family, burdening everyone, there's no way you'll succeed in life! You'll end up mooching odd of your successful, rich brother until he drops you because he WILL get tired of your loser ass. What? Can't understand what I'm saying??" The same guy taunted more. Niki saw how hard you were gripping your grocery bag and that's when he decided that enough was enough.

As the three men bothered you, making gestures and speaking loudly with obnoxious enunciation. If it were up to him, he would've thrown his slippers at their heads. And that was as a warning.

Niki walked fast ripped his hoodie and mask off, revealing his face.

When one of the three men noticed him, he stopped as his eyes widened. He tapped his friends and pointed at Niki who was glaring at them. At 186 cm, Niki towered over the people in front of him even at a distance. But what scared those men weren't (just) his height and expression, but also because he's famous. They literally had a celebrity throwing daggers at them.

You frowned at the sight of your classmates suddenly looking dead afraid. You were about to turn and leave when suddenly an arm wrapped around your shoulder and Niki stood firmly by your side.

"Did you meant what you said about my sister? You think of her so lowly?" He growled.

For the first time ever, you saw a side of Niki that you've never seen before. He didn't look like your baby brother who asked to swap his lemon candy for your strawberry one with teary eyes and pouty lips. The same baby brother who cried when you graduated elementary school because you wouldn't be able to walk him to class anymore. But his protectiveness over you is unchanging.

The three men stammered, nervous that they had just been heard and terrified of what Niki will do to them.

"Well?" Niki asked, stepping forward and closer to them.

Their fight or flight instinct was triggered instantly. Instead of answering, they just scrambled away. You were rather glad that the confrontation was over but slightly nervous to what Niki might think or do. You pride yourself as being the older sibling so you don't really know what's gonna happen next.

You waited for Niki to turn and do something, anything. But after 3 minutes of standing and staring at the direction of where your bullies ran to, nothing still happened.

Suddenly, you heard sniffles from your tall brother and you panicked. Why was he crying? He didn't get hurt, right? You didn't black out and missed a fight, did you? Did he saw someone recognizing him somewhere?

Your hand reached forward for his shoulder, "Riki?" You asked as you slowly pulled him to turn to look at you.

The sight of him crying fat tears made you drop your grocery bag to cup his face, "Oh my god, Riki, are you okay?" You asked. Surprisingly, he shoved your hands off his face and he glared at you, "Okay? Me?? Are you seriously asking me if I'm okay!?" He asked, voice cracking at how emotional he was being. "I should be asking you that! Are those the assholes who made you cry last night? Have they been bothering you so much? Have they been feeding you lies!?" He questioned at a rapid pace.

A sigh left your lips and you shrugged, "It doesn't matter, Riki. It's just-" "Of course it fucking does!" He interjected loudly. You froze in utter surprise at his outburst. "They made you believe that you are less than nothing! That's not okay whatsoever- that's not nothing! It matters to me, noona! How can they talk about you like that? You are the best person ever and you deserve to be treated like a fucking queen for putting up with me, mom, dad, and our eldest sister. I can't let them get away after saying those things about you. I can't, I won't," he cried while shaking his head, his fists balled so tightly that it shook and his feet were shifted side to side as if he was preparing to take off running.

Now, this Niki reminds you so much of your little brother. You can see the resemblance to a younger him who cried quite often and it softened you.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry for thinking so lowly of myself," you comforted him by putting one hand on the back of his head and one on his back and pulling him close so he could rest his face on your shoulder. That was when you thought "when did he get so big?" because truly, it seems like he's the older sibling.

"Don't say sorry for that, THEY are the ones who should be sorry," he sobbed, "Them and me." You chuckled and patted his head softly, "You have nothing to be sorry about, Riki. You are my baby brother, the best brother anyone could ask for and I'm really thankful to have you here with me, accompanying and protecting me."

Niki pulled away whilst sniffling, "I should be saying that about you, noona. You're my favourite person and no one can take that title away. Like those guys said, I WILL take care of you when we're older. I'll make lots of money so you can mooch off of me with no problem," he said with much sincerety.

You chuckled at this and reached to grab both his hand and the grocery bag on the sidewalk. "But what if you and I get married?" You asked, playing into his scenario. "No problem, we'll still live together and they HAVE to get along," he said as he gripped your hand tightly.

Once you both were in the elevator, Niki bumped his head with you before looking down on his feet, seemingly shy. "If I don't say this enough, I'm sorry. But I love you so much, you helped me be the person I am today and I wouldn't have gotten so far without your support. Although we don't see each other as much as I like, knowing that you're in the same country as me gave me reassurance that I at least have one support that counts here. I can never repay you."

You didn't know whether to coo at him or cry because those words made you feel so appreciated. Most appreciated in a while. Not even your parents had said those things to you. You smiled back and nod at him, "There's no where else I'd rather be than to support you and make sure that you're okay. You're my favourite person too, Riki. No one will ever take that spot which is why you don't have to worry about repaying me. You have nothing to repay for because I'm here because I love you too, okay?"

Niki grinned widely despite the residual tears dropping out of his eyes. If anything, he looks so adorable at that moment that you just wanted to pinch his cheeks.

At that moment, despite what has been going on in your life, you were really glad that your brother is Niki.

[dragonmuse]

StrangeAugust left a request in my comments for Izzy's POV of the first night Lucius and Izzy collide at the end of Baby, I'm Amazed. The dialogue is all the same for the most part, but the thought processes definitely diverge.

There was a roaring in Izzy's ears that never stopped.

Sometimes he opened his phone and searched for Eddy's location over and over, watching the dot range over the map of the city, but mostly just between apartment and bar over and over

Sometimes he drank so much that he woke up on the floor of his apartment, sweating and vile with it.  

For the first time in his adult life, Izzy got up in the morning with no idea what to do. There had been so much order, so many rules and he had marched to that unceasing beat without thought or reservation. 

Then silence. And the noise had come. The sound that only came in the absence of all other sound. 

At the end of the second week, he poured all the booze in the apartment down the kitchen sink. None of it was helping and he was going to get himself killed wandering into a job hungover and wrung out. Jackie handed him bullshit assignments and there was no paperwork, no things to fix, no goddamn work, but to grind his teeth and let the noise roar on and on. 

He wound up at the bar with his hands fisted in his pockets. He didn’t go in for a while, just paced on the other side of the street. There was no getting Eddy back, he knew that, in a bone deep way. 

They had severed themselves from their old life with a clean sharp blade. Izzy kept finding places where the string had been cut: bank accounts he had once kept track of were abruptly closed, caches of weapons came up empty, and most painfully of all, the arrival of a check for his half of a safe house they’d purchased years ago. He had never seen the place, but it had always been a net under the high wire act of their lives. 

Now there was nothing to catch him. He felt like his armor had disintegrated. When he walked into the Revenge, he wasn’t sure what would happen, but it had to be better than whatever purgatory he’d found himself in. 

Realistically, he expected the bouncers. Ivan and Fang would be delighted to pummel him to a pulp for a thousand paper cuts of insults he’d leveled at them over the years. So he was more than a little surprised to be confronted by a tall, ascot-wearing man with a smirk slapped on his face. 

Lucius Spriggs, 27, male. Graduate of a decent liberal arts college. Bartender at the Revenge with a lewd, but ultimately innocent, side hustle. He’d been picked up once for pickpocketing when he was still in high school, let loose with a warning. No driver’s license. He lived with three of the other employees. That was as far as Izzy had bothered with the background check back when Eddy started coming here. Just making sure they weren’t bedding the enemy back when they first took up with Stede. 

“Hey there. You know you’re not welcome here, right?”

“It’s a free country,” he growled. Like he didn’t know this place was trying to eject him out onto his ass. Like the whole thing didn’t scream ‘turn back!’ in cheerful flags. 

“Sure it is, which means you’re free to leave here before our bouncers show up.”

“I’ve got money. I can get a drink if I like.”

“Mmm, no.” 

“I know my rights.” He lifted his chin. He could certainly manage to intimidate one person who by all rights should be afraid of him.  

“Good, then you know you have the right to remain silent which would be a gift to everyone involved.”

“Listen to me you fucking prick, I’m just here to have a drink."

Fuck, apparently he could not intimidate him. What was he coming to?

“I told you, we can’t serve you. Also, I think booze is probably not what you need. Therapy is probably at the top of that list, but I’m not qualified to offer that. So...” Lucius reached into his jacket pocket and Izzy tensed. More surprising people had tried to shoot him. But instead, two thin joints emerged.  “How about you smoke these with me in the alleyway and we don’t get anyone arrested tonight?”

“Fuck you.” He said out of sheer panic. It had been years since he’d smoked and that had always been with Eddy. The smell was rooted in his memory, inextricable from thick black curls that held the odor for hours afterwards. 

“I'm trying to be nice to you, you maniac. Don’t you want it to stop hurting? Just for a fucking minute?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he lied. He was bleeding out. He was dying, maybe. Fuck, this would be easier if he was dying, actually. Dying was simple.

“Darling, I’m the king of breakups and I can tell when one of my subjects is in a bad way,” Lucius’ smirk only got bigger. “Smoke up, get out or get arrested for trespassing.”

Pot had never done anything weird to him. It had just mellowed the edges out. Slowed time. And yeah, maybe once and a while, anesthetized him. 

“Give me that,” he said with resignation, taking the joint from Lucius’ hand. It went easy.

“Good choice.” 

He recognized the way the alley was lit up. SOP for a place that Eddy was going to spend any real time in. There was probably a camera out here too, tracking mice and the garbage trucks. Lucius posted up against the wall without concern, apparently as at home out here as he was inside. There was something in the easy way he rested against brick. Like he trusted the world to hold him up. Must be nice. 

Now that he had the fucking joint, Izzy wanted it so badly his teeth itched.  But he hadn’t smoked anything in years, so he was forced to ask, 

“Got a light?” 

The matches were unexpected, a flare of something old school. The brief strike of flame lighting Lucius' features in an unusual way. They gave him a puckish air, his dark eyes dancing as he held out the match for Izzy’s use.  Then he lit his own and took in a deep puff. He exhaled out into a perfect ‘O’ of smoke which Izzy tried hard not to be impressed by. 

He took his own drag, let it settle in his lungs before exhaling. It was just placebo, thinking it worked right away, but he was willing to concede to any effect at this point. He leaned against the wall too. It was brick, it wasn’t going to fucking collapse on him. 

“So,” Lucius began and Izzy tried not to tense up all over again, “What were we hoping to accomplish tonight?”

He was not admitting to this ludicrous human being that he had no fucking idea, and he was considering leaving. This was ridiculous. Then Lucius nodded knowingly and said, 

“No plan? Yeah, I’ve been there. You just turn up and hang around hoping for something. Anything.”

It lanced into him. Lucius had broken into his skull and sifted around in the pieces. Shit. And then there were all of these words in the back of Izzy’s throat. All of this agony, and it just welled out of him,

“We didn’t break up. There was nothing to breakup. He-” No. Wrong. Incorrect on all accounts, apparently. Wrong about everything he’d ever thought about the person he’d dedicated his life too.  He choked on it. “-she was my boss.”

“Good save,” Lucius did not sound like he thought it was a good save at all..  “I don’t think whatever you two had going on wasn't just boss and employee. Leda cuts my checks and I’ve never stalked her, even a little. I mean, I get the stalking thing. I did it once. I was twenty, heartbroken, and I thought I was in love. Did some very ill-advised shit. None of it worked, by the way.”

And no. No they were not boss and lackey. Flunky. Assistant, when someone was trying to insult him, but nicely. He wasn’t a shadow or a babysitter. Or he hadn't been. Now he was nothing at all.

“Twenty years,” He spat. “Twenty years of doing what I was told and beyond. Made sure they were watered, fed, held back their hair when they wretched their guts out in a gutter, and made sure they weren't talking to themselves too obviously in front of the wrong people. Smoothed over every business relationship when they broke it and kept the sharks away from their money. How do you just walk away from all that?”

“Pretty easily apparently,” Lucius pointed out. And yeah. Just yeah, that hit home too. Pretty goddamn easy. “Just plain old all-consuming love. Those two love each other a truly disgusting amount. They actually do sit and stare into each other's eyes sometimes. I thought that was made up in books. We timed it once and they made it almost six minutes, no words, just meaningful looks. It was kind of impressive.”

Love. Eddy hadn’t loved anyone, not even herself, in the entire time Izzy had known them. Certainly, she had never asked if Izzy had ever loved anyone. Or if Izzy loved her. He would’ve lied, if she’d asked. Would’ve lied and not even known it was a lie.  

“It's an obsession. Love doesn’t exist,” he ground out, instead of a thousand other things.  

“Wow, that is some very deep bitterness. Like existentially deep. Like do-not-look-in -this -big - black-hole-because-it’s-filled-with-all-my-demons kind of deep.”

“I don’t have demons.”  Demons were a liability. He had got rid of a lot of people with demons. He took another drag, blew it out through his nose, wanting the burn of the smoke. 

“I think you might be the most possessed person I’ve ever met,” Lucius argued. “Listen, do you want some advice?”

“Fuck no.” He snorted. 

“Too bad. Everyone gets one free if they want it or not.” Oh great, free advice from a know-it-all twenty-something. Just what Izzy had always needed.  “I think the best way to get over them is to do something new. Try someone new.”

“I don’t need anyone.” He didn’t. He didn’t even need himself. Throw the whole thing out. Which...hm. The pot might be hitting him harder with all the years of abstinence between tokes. 

Lucius ground the joint out against the brick. It was another causal, easy movement and Izzy wasn’t sure why he watched it so intently. Maybe it was the rogue thought that he could be the wall, Lucius grinding it out on his arm. Maybe it was the turn of Lucius’ wrist. Maybe it was the fucking pot.  

“What you need is to touch grass. Just like...buy a shirt in a color. Any color. I might even give you a lighter shade of gray if the rainbow is too scary. Then go to a gay club and dance with someone. Be nice to them and try to get laid.”

And then long pale fingers slapped down over his chest. It didn’t hurt, but it was firm and certain. It pinned him to the wall, just a little. The confidence, the surety of it, spiked directly into Izzy’s fogged out brain. 

“That’s an order, sailor.”

An order. Izzy stared down. Lucius’ fingernails were nicely kept, trimmed and clean. Did they know how to dig in? Could they sink into the skin and leave red marks behind?  Izzy’s ribs hummed with the impact, resonating through his chest. 

He wanted to put his hand over it. To hold him there. Lucius dropped it away instead and Izzy took in a shattered breath. He had to leave. Right now. There was nothing for him inside the gilded nonsense inside.  

And...fuck. Having an order. Having something to seize on did more to relax his fight or flight bullshit then anything else. Not that Lucius had meant it. No way the man could know what one sentence could do to him. 

He had to walk away. Right now. There was danger here that he hadn't detected, wasn't in the least bit prepared to defend against. The joint he tossed. The air seemed to resist him as he pushed off the wall, but he managed, one leaden step at a time. He shouldn’t look back. He couldn’t. 

But he did. Lucius was still leaning against the wall, no longer smirking at all. He was watching Izzy closely, tracking his movements. The expression was at once intensely familiar and entirely new. It took his breath away. 

Go.  Screamed every instinct he had. So he went.  But that look stayed with him. It walked with him to his car and drove home with him. It filled the dark corners of his apartment and when he got into bed, it climbed in beside him. 

All morning while he tried to go through his routine, it knocked him off kilter.  None of it had been purposeful. A young, vibrant man didn’t have any need for someone like Izzy. Certainly not one that worked for Bonnet. Definitely not one so comfortable in his own skin that he wore a fucking ascot and offered pot to random, very dangerous, strangers. 

The trouble was that there was nothing else to think about. He went to work, he did fuck all or worse, did a job and found no pleasure in it. It was like someone had clawed out all the meat inside of him and put clockwork in instead. 

Except that look. The press of a hand on his chest. 

He walked home one night, a punishingly long distance, but he needed to move. When he passed a store window, he slowed. The photos were men his age. Gray- haired and laughing as they canoed down a river or hiked up a mountain. The mannequins had blank faces and the clothes were simple. Clean looking. Nothing that someone wouldn’t take seriously. 

It was busy inside, good cover for someone dithering over a selection of the most basic of wardrobe staples. The whole time that he moved through the motions of picking a t-shirt, he was telling himself to stop. Put it down. There was no need for any of this. 

He paid for it and left the store without registering the face of a single other person.  

It was just a t-shirt. He could work out in it or throw it away and it wouldn’t make a damn bit of difference in his life. If he went through his drawers and pulled out jeans he hadn’t worn in years that could be nothing too. 

It could all be nothing. What was he going to do? The last bit, the idea that he would just go to some kind of...that wasn’t who he was. He didn’t go to clubs. He didn’t dance. He didn’t know how to even begin to approach another man. He’d gotten Faith because she picked him and Eddy because....he actually had no idea. Proximity probably.  

And he didn’t want to meet a stranger. The appeal of a quick fuck had never made any sense to him. To have a close encounter with someone you’d never see again? Who you didn’t know? What for? He could get himself off more effectively than any person he’d just collided with. 

Except Lucius wasn’t quite a stranger now.  

Izzy held the t-shirt in his hands and expelled a breath. He wasn’t thinking about going to a club. He wasn’t thinking about a stranger. He was thinking about a hand reaching out in the dark. A man who took the time to give him advice and mellow him out for a minute when he should’ve bounced Izzy out into the street without a second thought. 

He’d just...show him. That he’d listened. Then go. It’s not like Lucius had shown any interest in him. And anyway, it was a reason to go back to the bar which he couldn't quite shake the desire to do. Just to check. Just know. Just pick at a scab.

This time no one stopped him at the door, but he was acutely aware that his time was limited. It still took him a long minute to move from the entrance and take a seat at the bar. There was another bartender there, but he’d been there last week too. 

It didn’t take long for Lucius to emerge. He moved with purpose and Izzy tensed, ready to be thrown out. That would be the smart thing for Lucius to do. Probably for everyone’s sake, including Izzy’s.  Instead, Lucius settled in front of him, put his chin on one hand and smiled. 

It was a hell of a smile.

“You’re a good listener. I like the shirt.”  His voice was clear, even in the growing noise of the bar. 

“Thanks.” He couldn’t look at him full on. It was too much. 

“Here’s how I think the night should go.” Izzy readied himself for the bull rush, but instead, Lucius went on with that directive crystal clear tone,  "I’m going to get you a drink, my choice. You down that and if you can just sit there and enjoy the show, I’ll go home with you.”

“Who says that’s what I want?”   

Go home with him? Izzy hadn’t had anyone else in his apartment, except the cleaning lady and maintenance people since he bought it. Someone else in his apartment? Someone else...fuck. Someone else in his bed? Could he do that? He would have to. That was how the night was going to go.

“‘No’ is a complete sentence. You want off this bus, it stops wherever you want.”

“Just like that?”  Izzy clutched at his own thigh, trying to ground himself. No? No was what it took? Was that the world Lucius lived in? He was fighting back a hysterical laugh. 

“Just like that,” he confirmed. “But if you’re game, I’ll make it worth your time.”

“I’ll take the drink.”  It would buy time to screw his head on straight. 

He drank the sour-sweet pink thing Lucius put in front of him. Izzy assumed there was some intention of humiliation there or a test of some kind. But Izzy had done far worse things than drink something he didn’t like and sit still for a few hours. It was practically restful. He zoned out, only coming back into reality when Eddy got on stage.  

He couldn’t bring himself to watch, but it was a thousand burning needles in his skin to know she was so close and yet might as well be as far away as the moon. 

The terrible fucking drink brought him back. It was just too obnoxious to be ignored and it reminded him of the other obnoxious unignorable thing that had brought him here in the first place. 

As soon as the curtain went down, Lucius returned to him. He didn’t lean on the counter this time, but Izzy was aware of his proximity all the more. 

“How was the drink?”

“Sour.”

“Suits you then. Are we going to your place?”

“Yeah,” Izzy said. That was how the night was going to go. 

“Okay, a few ground rules. We’re gonna kiss, I don’t do any of that emotionally frigid bullshit.” Izzy hadn’t kissed someone in ages. He wasn’t sure he even remembered how.  “You’re not going to insult me at any point or I walk. I’m not interested in insulting you either. Your safeword is just ‘no’. You say no, it stops. I say no, it stops. Sounds like you might need practice with the word from both angles. We’re sticking to hands only, absolutely no blood. You get what you ask for and you’ve got to be specific. No guessing games. Agreed?”

“Agreed,” he said with embarrassing rapidity. Did Lucius know all the demands he could’ve put on this? Izzy was fairly certain he was already beyond sense and reason. 

Fuck knew Eddy had taken out chunks of him for far less gain.

“Let’s go then.”

“Now?”

“Now.”

Lucius jumped over the bar in a feat that Izzy would not have thought him capable of. Izzy did catch the brief expression of relief, presumably that he hadn’t fallen on his face. It was impressive anyway. A show of strength that left its mark on Izzy’s already stomped on brain.

It was cool outside, but Izzy was burning up. Every nerve in his body was awake and telling him all about it. 

“Kiss me and then go get your car. You can pick me up here, fuck knows where you parked. Probably like four blocks away, to give yourself time to chicken out. 

“How’d you know that?”  Was he actually just a fucking mind reader? Izzy had even circled the block a few times first. Jesus fuck. 

“Because it’s what I would’ve done,” Lucius gave a shrug like this barely mattered. Like he hadn’t just read Izzy like a book. “Come on now. We don’t have all night.”

Kiss him. Yeah, easy shit, Hands. You just do the damn thing. He took a halting step forward then stuttered to a stop. 

He’d never kissed a man with the full intention of seeing something through. Yeah, he and Eddy had kissed sometimes, but it was usually during the act or at least as a vicious prelude. They were just standing here, out on the street. Exposed. 

Lucius was unhindered by such ideas and just leaned in. The kiss was soft, yielding. Lucius smelled like the bar, cleaning products and a bit of sweat. It was nothing, really. Just the slightest of touches, no hint of teeth or tongue. 

So why did Izzy feel like he was being flayed open? 

“Good boy,” Lucius whispered. “Go get the car.”

A word came out of his mouth, but Izzy only knew it was something like agreement. He was a string that had been plucked, vibrating at some new frequency. As he walked away, the words echoed in him and played back over and over. 

Lucius thought he’d been good. That the kiss, maybe, had been good. He’d done the right thing just by showing up. His bones were no longer connected correctly and when he got out his car keys, he dropped them like a fumbling child.  

When he pulled up in front of the bar, Lucius was waiting. Still there, still very real. The car door opened with a loud pop and then the car was no longer the quiet void that he had long enjoyed. It was stuffed full and the air was thick. 

“Ready?”  Lucius asked, with a shit eating grin. 

“Yeah.” No, he absolutely was not.  “I think I am.”

Lucius dropped a hand to Izzy’s thigh and squeezed. Izzy forced his eyes to stay on the road. This was not the way he wanted to die and the universe would think it was extremely funny to make it so.

“Good,” Lucius practically purred. “Let’s go have an adventure then.”

The hand stayed on his thigh the whole way back to his apartment building. He slid into the parking space, cutting off the engine and seriously contemplated just staying there. But then Lucius was moving, so Izzy was to. He led him to the elevator and then to the end of the hall. To the apartment that he’d picked out a decade ago with no more thought than he spent picking out socks. 

Luckily, Lucius wasn’t asking for a tour. 

“The bedroom,” he suggested instead and Izzy led him right to it. 

“Take off your shoes,” Lucius ordered, though his tone was a little hesitant. It grew more confident with every demand that Izzy followed without objection. 

It was so easy, so blessedly quiet to slip to the place where he was just waiting to please. Strip. Kneel. Open your mouth.  Touch me.  Get on the bed. Close your eyes. Take it. 

And in between each one, Lucius offered sweetness. Izzy was good, smart, hot, perfect. He was obedient, he was paying attention. He was doing the right thing. The pain was good, but Lucius was clearly not interested in truly making Izzy suffer and it didn’t entirely scratch that itch.

It was the kindness that turned Izzy inside out. 

He wasn’t even aware that he’d wept. He wouldn’t know for years until Lucius remarked on it idly while they were talking about something else altogether. It didn’t surprise him though. 

Sleeping beside a near stranger should have been impossible, but Izzy had never been so tired in his life and despite himself, he was out in seconds. When he woke up, the entire world was a little different. The axis had tilted on him. 

The horrible roaring in his ears had stopped. He could think, clearly, for the first time in months.  And his only real thought worth having was that he had to find a way to make it all happen again.

[brainyassignmenthelponline]

If you are looking for dot NET assignment help in the quality manner then brainyassignmenthelp.com is just a few clicks away from you. We have a team of skilled technocrats who work day and night to provide you a legitimate service that is unique and affordable.

[mae-gi-writes]

Awkwardly In Love | Mingi (ATEEZ)

Volleyball player! Mingi can’t seem to take his eyes off the girl on the bleachers whose got her nose stuck in her book.

Genre: FLUFF AND CUTE AWKWARD MINGI SBGKJDGJ I CAN’T HE RUINS ME. 

Word count: you just gotta know that it iz quite a long ride. I apologize for that.

----

She's always got her nose buried in her book.

That's what catches Mingi's attention at first.

See, he's not one to read. Nor does he have any interest in reading and books and the things that come with it. Growing up in a household full of children involved in physical sport, books had counted for nothing but a minimal afterthought. That, and the fact that their financial struggles made it so that they didn't spend on books if it could be helped.

So seeing her always carrying around piles and piles of books has Mingi wonder how much extra cash does she have to spend on all this imaginary stories.

When he realizes that the reason she's always on the same spot on the bleachers is due to her cousin being in the same volleyball team as he is, he can't help but start asking questions.

"Yeah she's my mother's sister's daughter," Hongjoong says with a small affectionate smile, "we basically grew up in the same household so she waits for me after classes."

"You guys close then?" Mingi asks in a forced nonchalant tone. He keeps his eyes on the ball being served on the other side, palms already closed and upturned at the ready.

"Ready?" His teammate calls.

"Yeah!" They both holler.

He serves. The ball swoops in a beautiful arc and Mingi steels himself before receiving the ball with trained precision.

Pack!

"Closer than siblings," Hongjoong answers as the ball flies over the net, "why do you ask?"

Mingi is about to answer when he spots the ball. Hongjoong sweeps in, steering his legs to tap the ball high in the air.

Tap!

Mingi's head swivels up, catches the ball to throw it back at Hongjoong.

Pack!

"In!" The referree calls to signal that they've marked the final point to the game. The pair allow sighs to leave their lips as they slowly make their way out of the court.

"Uhm," Mingi's chest heaves up and down with effort. Sweat dots his forehead as he racks for an excuse, "just curious I guess."

"Want me to introduce you?"

"Uh-- I--That's not--necessary--"

It's too late though, for Hongjoong is already calling out her name, "Y/N!"

Her head lifts from where it's been buried in her book.

Her cousin motions for her to come forward and no sooner is she stepping down from the bleachers that Mingi's neck flushes bright red, and he knows deep down it's not from the fact that he's just exercised.

"Y/N, meet Mingi my teammate," Hongjoong's grin is definitely one that is suggestive, which does nothing for Mingi's confidence.

"Hi," she sends him a warm smile, extending a hand. Mingi shakes it and can't help but notice how tiny her fingers are in comparison.

Delicate fingers, so breakable. Cute.

"H-Hi, I'm Mingi," Oh god, he hopes he doesn't sound like an idiot.

"Mingi's always been on the team. He's the ace after all," adds Hongjoong.

"Ah, that's cool," Y/N nods.

That's how it starts really. At every practice, Mingi makes it a must to talk to her, even if it's juet a tiny greeting, or a slight wave of his shy hand whenever he's already on the court when she stumbles in with her pile of books tucked under her arm. There's just something about her, something that pulls him in like an invisible string even though he can barely make his way through one sentence when he's gazing straight into her eyes.

Once, he musters up the courage to ask her about the book in her lap and the amount of joy flushing up her cheeks makes it so palpable that he feels giddy from her own excitement.

"I'm currently reading Peony in Love," holding up the book so he can see, she continues, "it's a historical novel about this Chinese girl that falls in love with someone who isn't her betrothed, then dies only to realize that this someone is actually her betrothed."

"That's actually really heartbreaking."

"Yeah well, so are most romance stories," she shrugs, "like the titanic."

"I've never actually watched it."

"What?! You're kidding me?"

He shakes his head, ducking his head in embarrassment as he wonders whether she thinks of him as a loser because of his apparent lack of intellectual knowledge.

But instead, he is faced with her enthusiasm, "we should watch it someday! It's like a classic, you'll love it if you like dramatic endings."

"You--" he feels his chest tighten in excitement, "you're serious?"

"Of course I am! I'll let Hongjoong know."

His heart does drop a little at Y/N's cousin's name. He'd hoped that they'd be alone, just the two of them.

Nevertheless, he makes his way over to Hongjoong's flat on the said night and is surprised to find not just the pair of cousins But an entire group of familiar individuals that he's seen hanging around the corridors and classrooms.

"Hey you came!" Hongjoong claps Mingi's back as he steps into the doorway, "I invited some of my close friends too. You probably know them."

As Mingi greets the rest of the group whe exchanging soft pleasantries, he finally catches sight of Y/N's figure darting between tall frames before she emerges, grinning, "hi, Mingi right?"

He can't help but blush right down to his toes, "h-hey, what's up?"

"Sorry for all the noise. The guys just wanted to crash here. Told them we were watching titanic and they promised they wouldn't make running commentaries."

"It's alright. I know them all a little. We're in the same class."

"Ah cool. You guys all in the same major then?"

Mingi scratches the back of his head, "nah I'm in Psych. But since they're all in the sciences like Hongjoong we do have same classes."

"Cool. I wish I could've taken Psych," she puffs up her cheeks into a pout and Mingi's fingers itch to pinch her cheeks.

She can't be that cute. She just can't be.

"So are we starting the movie or what?!" One of the guys --his name is Yunho, Mingi guesses -- calls out.

"The way you're talking Yunho, it's almost like you're the one who really wants to watch it," Hongjoong replies sassily while throwing both arms around Y/N and Mingi respectively before guiding them to the tv room. He dips his head towards Mingi's ear as the group settles in, "don't worry bro, I'll make sure you sit next to her."

Blushing furiously at the older boy's comment, the latter doesn't even have time to defend himself when he is being pushed onto the couch right next to Y/N's figure.

"You a big tears kind of guy?" The girl murmured, popcorn in lap. She extends it out to Mingi, who shyly grabs a handful.

"I guess it depends," Mingi murmurs, "are there animals in there?"

"Oh so you're that kind of guy."

He flushes. What kind of guy is she referring to?

The movie starts with the narration of an old lady gazing at a sapphire necklace, bedore the screen gives way to a shot of the ship itself in all its splendour, glistening a bold black and white in the midday sun.

Mingi knows he should be concentrating on the movie. And it's true, he really should, especially when Y/N had asked him to because it is clearly a classic he can't possibly miss out on. But alas, his eyes keep dashing back and forth between the screen and Y/N's face, stealing looks whenever she is not looking. It's almost like a magnetic pull tugging his gaze back to her no matter how hard he forces his eyes away; flitting over her eyes focused in attention, eyebrows furrowed at the middle with her mouth hanging open like a child amazed with naked wonder.

What can she possibly be thinking? What is going on inside that imaginative mind of hers?

What magical dimension is she traveling to without his knowledge?

It's only when the romance between the two protagonists start blossoming that he finally tears his eyes away to focus on the movie itself, all the while sensing Y/N's heat permeating from her body to his in a way that causes a permanent flush in the back of his neck.

The movie ends all too soon, with tears in Y/N's eyes and some of the other guys as they debate over the ending and how stupid Rose was for not giving Jack some space on the wooden board.

"Well to be fair, he would've probably sunk the entire board," Seonghwa argues. He's the pretty boy that everyone knows of, the one whom every girl has been crushing on since his admittance to their college.

"If I were Rose, I wouldn't want to keep living without the love of my life," Y/N points out, "I would've drowned myself with him."

"Jesus Y/N, that's terrifying," Hongjoong says.

"It's true though!"

The look in her eyes whenever she spoke of movies was a look of naked excitement. Like now, Mingi spots the familiar fire burning through her gaze, a gaze he finds alluring on her. It's like it breathes life into her face. It's similar to the one she wears whenever she's reading.

A few days later on campus, he bumps into her hurrying out of the library as he walks in, almost sending her flying before his arm snatches out to hold her shoulder.

"Sorry," he says hastily while putting her back on her feet and releasing her like she's just burnt him.

"S'okay," Y/N sends him a reassuring smile, "where you going?"

"Assignments. I'm late on my research paper because of practice," Mingi scratches his head. He nods towards her books, "what caught your interest this week?"

"Oh I'm just re-reading A Darker Shade of Magic," she grins like a little child being caught. Something in Mingi's heart softens like butter.

"What's it about?"

"It's so cool, it's like this guy with a super cool coat that has hundreds over coats inside it. And he's a magician and there are parallel worlds that have different wavelengths of magic. So he can travel through the different worlds and--" she stops abruptly then before her cheeks colour in shades of pink, "sorry. I'm rambling again--"

"No no no," Mingi cuts her off, causing her to blink, wide-eyed, "please...continue. I--I like it when you talk about your books. You--You always seem so alive and excited."

"Oh," her face flushes even more as another troop of butterflies tickle Mingi's stomach. She's so damn cute! "Thanks...Mingi."

He tries to analyze the flickering expressions on her face, though he guesses it is close to feeling embarrassed.

"A--Anyway I--I'll get going," Mingi hurriedly says, moving past her with flaming red ears upon realizing what he has just said, only to feel her hand clamp down on his.

He turns to see her, averted gaze and all, little fingers clamped onto his shirt, "do you--do you want to...go see a movie sometime?"

----------

Hongjoong had threatened Mingi with a multitude of ways of killing him in case he broke Y/N's heart, albeit the fact that the taller man stated that no, they weren't going on a date,.and anyway flirting had never been Mingi's strongest points anyway.

"Sure. If it's not a date, what is it then?" Hongjoong had asked with a roll of his eyes.

"It's just two people hanging out," Mingi had protested through red ears and scarlet tinged cheeks.

As per the said man's suggestion, the pair decides to meet up at the cinema entrance to choose the movie of their choice. Y/N is decked in a simple white t-shirt, loose cut-off jeans with red sneakers, and as Mingi silently admires her sense of simple fashion the heat that rises through the back of his neck is enough to make him avert his gaze bashfully.

They settle on a romantic comedy and he volunteers to buy the popcorn so that she can find some decent seats. As he settles into the cinema room and the lights dim into darkness, he places the popcorn box into her hands, waving her off upon her rising protests.

"But you--"

"I'll share it with you, don't-- don't worry," he replies, hand scratching the back of his neck.

Don't sweat it, he says to himself. It's fine. It's not a date. It's just two friends enjoying each other's presence.

Halfway through the movie, Mingi reaches for the popcorn only for their hands to collide. He retracts it like he just burnt himself, causing the said girl to chuckle softly. She reaches over then, with a handful of popcorn, before plopping it straight into his mouth without warning.

Mingi blinks. Heat goes straight to his ears.

When his eyes find hers, she only graces him with a timid smile, before returning back to the movie, totally unaware that his heart is now practically galloping out of his chest.

Jesus, what she does to his heart.

Mingi has never been so whipped in his life, but right now, he's pretty certain that he doesn't mind if that means she can accept his heart.

"Well that was fun," Y/N says the moment they step out of the cinema hall, "wasn't expecting it to be so lovey dovey though."

His head ducks, "I'm sorry," he mutters, "I didn't know you weren't into--"

"Oh no no! Not at all! We both chose it. You have nothing to feel bad about!"

"I'm not that into movies," comes his mumble.

"What?" Y/N stops in the middle of the road as she blinks up at him in shock, "you should've told me!"

"I wasn't interested in seeing the movie, I just wanted to see--" he hesitates slightly, "you."

What the fuck Mingi, he feels like choking himself foe his stupidity. Why was he acting like a total turd? This was ridiculous! She's just a girl, a cute one sure, but still! It's almost like he's lost all ability to make conversation.

He tries once more, "I'm--I'm sorry I shouldn't have--“

“No, I“m the one who's sorry. Here, let me treat you. Ice cream?” and then, her eyes widen, "you do like ice cream right?"

That'a enough for his lips to tilt up into a smile, "I'd love ice cream."

---

Once they settle on a bench at the nearby park, it seems like all nervousness suddenly ease from Mingi's consciousness and slowly, he starts opening up to the said girl as they lick at their ice cream cones. The sun sets over the horizon, turning the blue sky in scarlet hues that reminds him of summer days that last forever.

"Architecture's tough but honestly, that was the only thing my parents would let me study," Y/N says, empty ice-cream stick in hand as her gaze sweeps over the park and its passerbys.

"I guess it makes sense, considering our economy recently," Mingi agrees.

"And you? Why Psych?"

He lifts his shoulder in a half-hearted shrug, "I guess I just like analyzing people. It's intriguing, knowing how people think, how they act around others."

"You want to be a therapist?"

"I don't know if I'm strong enough to help people get out of their problems when I can't even help myself."

He feels her eyes on him and finds interest in the way the wind blows across the grass blades.

Her voice is soft when she says, "you don't have to be that kind of hero, if you don't want to."

His heart swells with warmth and sudden affection, though he says nothing but nods in agreement.

It's easily past ten when they trudge back to Y/N's house, with nervousness swimming through Mingi's stomach in apprehension to Hongjoong's earlier threats, though Y/N reassures him that Hongjoong is mostly all talk and no action. That reassures the tall man slightly, until his feet start bristling upon spotting her front porch.

"Thanks for keeping me company today," Y/N tilts her head up, her profile bathed in the backlight of her house, "next time, let's not go to the movies."

Mingi's heart skips, "I didn't mind it."

"I know, but I want to do things that you like too," she grins.

A surge of courage rises through his chest as he tells her that he'd like that a lot too.

Except the thing that falls out of his mouth instead is, "I like you too."

She blinks.

He blinks back, realization settling in like a dull ache in his stomach.

Horror sweeps through him. Oh no.

It hadn't been in his plan to expose himself like this, exposing himself like a dog who wants a tummy rub, but then again there's no sign of rejection that flickers across Y/N's face, which he takes as a good sign as he fumbles for the right words, "uhm, I-- I mean, I didn't mean--"

"You didn't mean that?"

"What?" His eyes widen, "no no! Of course I mean it, I just--"

He gasps at his own words, cupping a hand over his mouth as the girl before him explodes into an uncontrollable fit of laughter.

"Oh my gosh," her eyes crinkle up into those adorable crescents of hers, "you're so cute."

Scarlet pink blossoms across his cheeks. Averting his eyes, he wishes that the floor can just come and swallow him up right there and then.

"Right," clearing his throat, one hand reaches up to scratch his ear, "well, I-I'll just go--"

He's halfway turning around when Y/N's hand trickles through his, as gentle as water flowing through his fingertips.

"Wait," she murmurs.

His breath stalls. Inhaling a soft breath, he slowly shuffles back, not daring to meet her gaze when he feels like he's just put his heart on the table for her to do with as she pleases.

Her voice is a gentle breath of a whisper, "don't go."

And then, she's up on her tippy toes and pressing a light kiss to his cheek. Mingi's skin practically lights on fire as another round of butterflies erupt in his chest at her touch, and he can't help but stare down at her, jaw slack, as she gives him the shyest smile he's ever seen.

Cute! His mind screams. Cute cute cute!

"So," Mingi's mind comes back into focus upon hearing her voice, eyes finding her biting down onto her lower lip, “Well, uh--I guess--I guess this means I--I like you, or something.”

"uhm,” his ears are so hot with heat he feels they might fall off as he forces himself not to gawk at her, though it’s proving to be quite difficult as he’s trying to muster the courage to come out with a reasonable answer. 

“I--well, uh--how does this--I don't know--do you want to...uh possibly,” he swallows thickly, before exhaling the words in a rush,”...goouttodinnerwithme?"

Y/N blinks in confusion, "I'm sorry?"

Come on, Mingi! He thinks to himself in growing desperation. Don't be such a wimp!

"Do you... want to...go out with me? S--Sometime?" His throat is clogged with so much embarrassment he fear he might choke.

But when he feels soft fingers trace his chin, he looks up, right into her dark brown eyes sparkling with a tinge of playfulness, excitement and naked joy brimming at the corners.

"I'd love that," she whispers.

And she lifts herself up once more to land a kiss on his mouth, softly, shyly, a mere brushing her mouth against his.

Mingi stumbles upon impact, hands unconsciously grasping her waist as his back comes in contact with the railing lining her porch.

His eyes are wide when she pulls away, biting her lower lip like she can't help but feel nervous from this bold action that has taken him by surprise.

"What--" Mingi chokes on his words, lapses into silence while staring down at her.

The girl merely glances down. A blush taints her cheeks and even though his fingers are shaking and he feels like his heart is about to jump out of his chest at the mere prospect of their closeness, his body moves before his brain does.

Closing the gap between them, it's his turn to press a kiss now, a chaste one that tells her that he reciprocates these feelings wholeheartedly. And Y/N responds by wrapping her arms around his neck to pull him closer so that their chests touch, mouths moving slowly in harmony as they chase each other and mold together in a way that leaves Mingi breathless and his heart stuttering like he's just won a race.

If it is, then it's the most importance race of his life.

It is only when they pull apart, breathing into each other with barely millimetres separating their mouths, that he can't help but laugh at the realization that this girl in his arms is his.

"What?" She says while smiling up at him. So gorgeous, so breathtaking. And she's his.

"Nothing," he can sense the heat flooding his cheeks once more, "I just-- I'm just...happy."

And there it is, that same smile that he loves so much. The smile that holds magical words and countless secrets to the amazing mind she beholds. He can't want to delve into her thoughts and pick at her brain, knowing that all of them are going to be precious memories he'll hold dear to his heart.

That smile.

Hongjoong's voice suddenly erupts out of nowhere like a nightmare, "don't think I didn't see you guys kissing out there!"

---

I’m so whipped for Mingi and he’s like 2 years younger so I feel like such an old noona *sighs*. 

Anyway, let me know if you’d like more Ateez content! <3 Stay safe guys, and thanks for reading! 

[mschillinvillin]

The Department of Love is overwhelmed with work in the weeks leading up to Valentine’s day. Head Cupid Sesshoumaru is struggling to finish his paperwork, but when his underlings fail to find a match for a difficult client, he is forced to step in and resolve the matter personally. A V-day Oneshot.

(Also available on my Dokuga, Fanfiction(dot)net, and A03 under the name ChillinVillin)

The mountain of paperwork on Sesshoumaru’s desk grew steadily, despite the long hours he’d been putting in at the office. He was a workaholic year-round – love was not just a Valentine’s affair after all – but February was always a veritable shit storm, and this year he hadn’t even had a chance to go home to sleep.

He was bent over a file for a widower when a soft knock sounded at his door and his youngest team member popped her head in.

Rin was still new to the Department and there had been an uproar when he promoted her onto his exclusive team. Her youthful demeanor and easy smile made her a target for those jaded by the industry, but she was an excellent matchmaker. Her unending reserve of energy and positive attitude served her well, and she let any hate directed at her roll off. As she should have. She was superior.

She was humming lightly when she stepped into his office, the fairy wand she used as her matchmaking device scattering love dust on his pristine carpet. It was not uncommon for her to bring him lunch, so he was startled when she plopped herself into the chair across from him and placed a manilla folder on the empty corner of his desk.

He couldn’t see her over his stack of paperwork, but he didn’t have to look up to know she was displeased. She worried at the edge of a manila folder and her humming cut off abruptly.

“What ails you?” He asked without looking up from his work.

“As you know, Valentine’s day is approaching quickly.”

He made a noncommittal sound in the back of his throat and gestured to the paper mountain.

“There’s this one woman. Kagome Higurashi. She’s a class A case so she both desires and deserves a proper match,” she flipped the folder open to reveal the fresh face of a smiling young woman. She was pretty enough, he thought, glancing at the photo without looking too closely. She was young enough to be planting the seeds for a future with a first partner, and pretty enough to get one. An easy mark for someone as competent as Rin.

“And there is no one suitable?” he surmised.

“It’s not that! I’ve spent the last week trying to get her together with her childhood friend! He’s already in love with her, so half the equation was solved. He’s kind and attentive and he’s studying medicine, so he’s smart and cares about people. He’s perfect for her, but every time I tried to set them up, she brushed my magic aside like it was nothing and found an excuse to take off!”

“We cannot manufacture attraction,” Sesshoumaru huffed, returning to the file before him. This was basic stuff. “You tried to open her eyes and she declined. Move on to the next best match.” And leave me in peace, he thought, biting his tongue. It wouldn’t do to upset her during their busiest time of the year.

“I did!” She wailed. “I found her someone else. This guy was his opposite. He was fun! Flirty and easy to commit to. He would have given her everything she needed to feel fulfilled as a girlfriend!”

“She ignored him as well?”

“Not only was she not interested; she set him up on a date with her best friend and now they’re going steady!”

He frowned. It was almost unheard of for Rin to strike out twice. He put it down to the overwhelming work of her first season on his team. Perhaps she simply hadn’t learned yet what to do when she hit a snag. He would put someone more seasoned on the case.

“Very well. Move on to your next assignment and send Jaken in.”

He closed the manila folder and returned to his work, not acknowledging the short man who came in for it. He couldn’t see Jaken’s eyes over the top of the desk, but the two heads on his staff, their lips pursed like they waiting for a kiss, danced towards him, and then a small hand felt around on his desk before sliding the file off the edge. Jaken made a lot of noise as he came and went, but Sesshoumaru tuned him out, sighing gratefully when the door clicked closed and he was left in peace.

Considering the problem dealt with, he gave his full attention to the case in front of him.

*

“I’m so sorry sir! Please forgive me!”

The piercing shriek of his subordinate made his head pound. He hadn’t even gone home to shower, and his stomach cramped from cheap vending machine food. The first thing he noticed when he peeled his eyes away from his work was that the staff of two heads looked… wrong.

The heads had twisted apart, the centre cracked like they’d tried to get away from each other. Their kissing faces had devolved into delirious smiles. Jaken clambered up to stand on the chair across from his, waving a folder around. Sesshoumaru cut off his groveling.

“This is not the time for mistakes, Jaken.”

“Please forgive me! I was only trying to do as I was asked, but the task proved to be impossible!”

Sesshoumaru was certain that he hadn’t given anything beyond his subordinate’s abilities. That was why he spent his days (and this time of year his nights) pouring over paperwork.

“It’s that Higurashi woman to blame!” Jaken griped. “I found her a man who was rugged and handsome. He was completely appropriate while presenting enough of a challenge for her to get a sense of satisfaction out of winning his heart. Just as she started to warm up to him, she found out that she was a dead ringer for his ex and got upset.”

“A rookie mistake.”

“Forgive me, but often the second match is better than the first anyway. They appreciate the next match so much more once they’ve had a taste of disappointment.”

It was an old school thought, reminiscent of Sesshoumaru’s father’s ideology from his days running the department. It never would’ve worked for Rin’s childish, bubbling love type, but Jaken’s staff was uniquely designed for two romances in quick succession. The second and more powerful head could not work until after the first had been activated.

“That was not the case?” Sesshoumaru prompted.

“I found her someone similar, but who would be unwaveringly honest in his high opinion of her and who had no prior serious attachments, but she wound up foisting him off on another girl!”

“And your staff?”

“The staff got confused. Since she wasn’t reactive to the first or second match, both heads tried to blast him and he wound up doubly smitten with the new girl. This is a mess.”

Sesshoumaru grunted. This had never happened in the centuries since Jaken had joined the department.

“You cannot work without it, and I need you on the ground. Leave the case and see if Totosai in tech can fix it for you. If it will take more than a few hours, then request assistance from another department to cover your time off. And send Ah and Un in.”

Jaken ran off, leaving the slightly worn folder behind.

A pair of twins slid in several minutes later. Sesshoumaru gestured to the folder without looking up and they whisked it away, disappearing. Ah and Un were a bit of a mystery, but they always got results.

He cursed when they swooped in the next morning and dropped the folder on his desk. They didn’t say anything, and he dismissed them with a wave. The pile had shrunk, but not enough. Valentine’s was only two days away and he had to finish before then.

“Well, well, well,” the soft purr came from the edge of the room. He shot up and glared at the woman who stood in his doorway. His mother smirked at him in all of her finery. She’d long been trying to convince him to join her as a member of the Winter Solstice Department, and 48 hours out from Valentine’s day, when his patience was thinnest, was a bad time for her to try her usual antics.

“What do you want?” He asked, turning his focus back to his desk.

“Poor dear,” she said. Her voice dripped with false sympathy. “Is your little holiday getting the best of you?”

“You know that this is not a good time.”

“Of course. I’ve only come because a request was put in for assistance and I thought I’d offer mine to you, personally.”

He groaned. Of course she’d snatch up the chance to insert herself into his business. He didn’t have time to put another request in, so he handed her the folder. The edges were bent and there was a coffee ring on it. She poured herself a cup of coffee, emptying the pot of his last dregs of caffeine, and sat across from him.

“Word’s been getting out about the difficulties you’ve been having. Is it true she damaged your righthand man’s Toke of Affection?”

“It is true.”

She flicked through the file, a devious smirk on her face. “Are you certain that she’s interested in men dear? I know that on a long winter night, I often prefer the company of-“

“This is not about your preferences,” he said sharply. Her grin widened. “And it is not about lust. We’re in the business of romance. If you cannot deliver, then leave and send someone who can. Besides, she wouldn’t be in the pile were she not available and desiring a romantic entanglement, and her orientation is clearly marked.”

“Very well. This one shall be kind enough to help you.”

She swept from the room, a cold wind billowing in her wake. He counted the folders piled on his desk. Determination set his jaw. He finished his last coffee and got back to it.

She swung back in in the evening, bristling. “Unbelievable! What a thankless operation this is!” His desk had been completely taken over, so she threw the file on top of the cold coffee pot. “I thought that perhaps she would enjoy a little variety, so I sent her a man known to be a little on the imaginative side. He had a woman with him who was gorgeous and also interested. I thought that the more the merrier was a good call, but she ran off so quickly I didn’t even see her go!”

He grunted, and when she realized that he wasn’t paying attention, she flew from his office, plotting.

*

Sesshoumaru finished his papers with a full twelve hours to spare and finally stood from his desk. His bones popped as he stretched, and he wondered idly how long he had been in the chair. He flicked the lights off and grabbed his coat, intent on having a nice bath and a glass of wine to celebrate his victory. Another year had gone by without a hitch.

*

He always put in an appearance to the Department’s party for his employees. They worked for him, so once he was clean and rested, he returned to the lobby. As always, they had gone all out. The room was swathed in pinks and red, glittering hearts twirled high above the floor that had been cloaked in a plush red carpet. A live band sung romantics ballads and a hearty spread of festive foods were laid out on a banquet table.

He greeted each employee cordially while it sunk in that his work was done. He’d even have a long weekend. Rin ran up and twirled around him. Her wand trailed sparkles behind her.

“Another year is done!” She cried. He accepted a mini cupcake from her and a glass of champagne. He’d earned it and she said as much. “I admit, I am curious who Mr. Jaken found for Kagome Higurashi. She was so tough to crack that the not knowing is driving me crazy!”

Frowning, Sesshoumaru excused himself and brushed past her to find his second hand. Jaken was chatting with a tall, busty woman from the Halloween department. They were an incongruent pair, but it was widely speculated that the appropriate members of the Love Department were excellent lovers, and they all needed to let off steam after weeks of hard labour.

“Sir,” Jaken greeted! He was a little tipsy and didn’t notice his date eye Sesshoumaru up and down with a wicked smirk. “Meet Haru!”

“Yura!” The woman corrected. In one hand she held a black skull. The other she reached towards him. His mouth twitched and Jaken rambled on as if the exchange hadn’t happened.

“Well done! But what did you ever do about that woman who wrecked my beloved staff?”

Sesshoumaru spun on his heel, scanning the crown until his eyes fell on Ah and Un. They nodded to him when he approached their corner.

“What happened to the Higurashi case?” He demanded.

They looked at each other and shrugged.

Rin, Jaken, Ah, and Un had all struck out with her, leaving him to fumble for who he’d assigned her to. He tried to recall what he’d done with her case when it hit him.

Mother.

He hadn’t really been paying attention when she came in, but surely she’d failed too. He raced to the elevator, barely restraining himself while it climbed to his office, and flicked the lights on. The return of the cold fluorescence made his head throb, but he paid it no heed as he searched his deck for the file. It was pristine, as he had left it, without the Higurashi file in sight. He got down on his hands and knees and peered under it, but other than some of Rin’s glitter that the custodians had missed and a couple of dust bunnies, it was empty too. Snarling, he got up and looked around, finally noticing that it had slid behind the coffee maker.

A job failed. A heart left to grow cold on his day. He would not accept it.

He pulled his blade down from the display on the wall behind his desk. He hadn’t used it since he trained Rin. It pulsed faintly in his hand, the familiar energy stirring awake. He strapped it on, grabbed the folder, and raced down the back stairwell to grab a taxi.

He would find Kagome Higurashi and ensure that she had a partner by midnight.

*

Her file was thin. He knew that her family was small, but important to her. She was raised to take over her family’s shrine and that’s what she did. She was a romantic, but she rarely dated. She was outspoken, but kind to a fault. Overall, she was a perfectly good candidate for a love match.

His underlings had left notes, all of them detailing what had worked to catch her attention and what had failed along with a list of the names that hadn’t worked. Someone had written ‘this job sucks!’ across the top of the sheet, which he recognized as his mother’s handwriting. Hn, childish.

The cab pulled to a stop in front of a bar. It was uncharacteristically cold for February, and snow crunched beneath the wheels. There was nothing in the file to help him, so he tucked it away and went in to watch her. He would have to glean the details about her for himself and find her an acceptable partner. All in the next, he checked his watch and hissed, five hours.

It didn’t take him long to find her. She was bouncing around the people on the dance floor, dancing and chatting over the rock band that was playing near the front. She nursed her drink and seemed perfectly in her element, and he found himself relaxing as he watched her from a barstool. He had his own drink, which he’d purchased just to fit in. He could unsheathe his blade and disappear from view, but that was always a poor choice in such crowded venues.

Kagome Higurashi seemed happy and as he watched her, he began to wonder if perhaps his mother had been right. Maybe she really didn’t want anyone. She flitted from person to person, lingering just long enough to have a laugh before scooting along to the next acquaintance. Even from a distance, he could tell that she was charming. She also seemed to interact with anyone and everyone without judgement. Kindness radiated from her. Why had his underlings had a hard time? She was an easy mark.

A couple bounced up to the bar, and he learned quickly that their names were Miroku and Sango, and that Kagome had set them up, and as they chatted he found out that a number of the people his team had tried to set her up with were also there. She was happy for all the couples, gushing over their outfits, valentine’s gifts. It turned out that she had presented chocolate to all of them, so she was receptive to the holiday.

It bothered him that the system could have made a mistake. It had never happened in his time, nor had he heard of such a thing happening in his father’s.

A confident man approached her, his long hair pulled back into a braid, and he offered her his hand to dance. She smiled at him, and the blade thrummed with the potential for a new match, but just as he reached for the hilt, her eyes shot up to his and everything stopped. She blushed at having been caught staring and looked away, and the bubble burst.

Heart pounding, he paid for his drink and went to the dirty bathroom at the end of the long hall.

Perhaps he needed to be more direct, seek her out and ask what she looked for in a partner.

He marched back to the dance floor only to find that she was gone.

Perhaps she was only in the restroom, he reasoned, but as his watch ticked, he stiffened. 3 hours remaining and he’d lost his target.

He burst out the front door into the chilly night and looked around wildly. He froze. There she was, still in her short party dress, leaning against the wall. He expected her to be smoking, but her arms were wrapped around her chest. He noticed that the long sleeves of her red dress were translucent and couldn’t stop himself from addressing her in clipped tones.

“Where is your coat?”

She snorted, an action that startled him. People did not address him so casually. If he was miffed, it passed with her watery smile. She’s been crying.

He slid his coat from his shoulders and held it out to her. “It was too hot in there,” he explained casually. The cold was uncomfortable, but it reminded him of his childhood home.

“It was supposed to be warm today,” she murmured, shaking her head, but a frigid wind blew through the street and she shuddered. Just as it occurred to him that a strange man approaching a lonely woman after dark could be construed as creepy, she reluctantly accepted his coat. Her fingers brushed his and he pulled away at the contact. She tried to push his coat back. “Don’t give it to me if you’re cold.”

“I grew up in much colder climates than this,” he admitted, and slid it over her shoulders, taking care not to touch her. A small smile graced her features and she turned into the collar and sniffed delicately. Warmth bloomed in his chest.

“I always find these gatherings to be oddly stifling,” he volunteered. She relaxed a little further. Perhaps she was the same. They should’ve found her someone more introverted.

“Yeah. I mean, I love my friends and I glad they’re all happy and in love, but it just kind of reminds me that I’m alone, you know? That I’m the exception. I guess I’m oversharing, sorry.”

So her case was not a mistake. Relief flooded him. He couldn’t point out to her that she’d had lots of opportunity over the last few weeks to kindle a romance, so instead he said. “That sounds difficult. Did it not occur to you to find a valentine of your own?”

She crossed her arms and caught his gaze with hers, and he found himself locked in a staring contest with her. “So where’s your Valentine Mr. Love Expert?”

“I do not have time for one.”

She snorted, again. “See! It’s easy to expect people to just find love! It’s not like you can just buy it at the grocery store. You have to find someone you like, who likes you, who you’re attracted to, who will make your life better, and then you have to work and share experiences and find common ground and give it time to grow. And sometimes it doesn’t work out, even after all of that!”

She breathed heavily after her outburst. She was as passionate about love as he was, but she had looked beyond the first flutterings of new love. “Perhaps I could help you find someone.”

She eyed him suspiciously, then broke into a wide grin. “I have a great idea! Come with me!”

She reached out and gripped his hand. He should have recoiled. This was unprofessional. But her skin was cold that he wrapped it in his own and allowed her to tug him along.

They walked in comfortable silence, before he asked.

“Kagome, where are we going?”

She stopped and gazed at him from under her lashes. “How did you know my name?”

“I overheard one of your friends say it.”

She resumed their pace with a triumphant smile. “I knew you were watching me! Why didn’t you say hi?”

He squeezed her hand. “Is this not acceptable contact?” He teased, though he knew the answer was ‘no’. “And my name, though you have not asked for it, is Sesshoumaru.” She repeated his name softly, rolling the syllables around in her mouth like a fine wine.

“Aha!” They stopped at the mouth of a busy night market. It had also been decorated for Valentine’s day. He was well acquainted with this sort of place as a matchmaking specter, but he found himself in new territory as they strolled the market hand in hand, sampling foods and playing games. She covertly pointed at a woman. “What about her?”

“What are we doing here?”

This was the perfect place for matchmaking, but every man who might have looked at her appreciatively noticed him and scurried along.

“I’m going to be your wingman!” She announced boldly. “Don’t look so shocked! I’m great at it! Just ask my friends. I found them all the perfect Valentine’s dates!” She had no way of knowing that his team had done most of the legwork.

The irony dawned on him that by putting himself into her path as a matchmaker, she had taken up the mantle of trying to find a mate for him. The thought made him chuckle, and then he cracked, laughing so hard that his shoulders shook. He used his free hand to cover his mouth while she gazed up at him. She swatted him playfully. “Don’t be a jerk! I’ll find you someone.” She regarded him for a long moment, then cast her eyes around. “What about her?” She leaned into him and spoke under her breath as they approached a young woman, drawing him in so that his lips brushed her hair.

“Why don’t we look for you instead.”

“I’m not going to play if you’re not. Listen! You’ll be head over heels by the end of the night!” She turned her face up to his, so that their lips almost brushed. He pulled back and dropped her hand, letting the cold sink in. There were rules, even if they felt inconsequential right now. He’d come here for a reason, and he would follow through.

“Very well. Why her?”

The woman was perhaps a little older than Kagome. She was bent over a book beneath a bright streetlight. Her short hair had fallen into her face and she brushed it back behind a small ear. He supposed that she was cute.

“You seem like you need someone who can soften you up a bit. She’s bookish, so she’s probably smart and introverted like you seem to be, but she’s still out here participating in the world.”

“She isn’t my type,” he said. “But I’m sure if she’s very good this year then Cupid will bring her a date next year.”

“I don’t think that’s how it works. Besides, I was good, so why isn’t he helping me?”

He barely stifled his groan. He is trying.

He pointed out three men to her. All seemed kind, handsome, and decent. And each time she shot him down and pointed out a woman for him in return. It made him want to rip his hair out. The temperature continued to drop and without meaning to he drew her closer to him until she was fit comfortably against his side. Their wingman game was interrupted when a young man with light hair and puppy-dog eyes called Kagome’s name. He had a girl with him who glared daggers at Kagome.

“Hey Kagome! So you uh- found yourself a Valentine, huh?”

She blushed and broke apart from Sesshoumaru. “Hojo! Sesshoumaru’s just a friend.”

“Uh-huh,” the men eyed each other up, and something sparked in Sesshoumaru’s mind. This was the childhood friend Rin had tried to set her up with. No wonder why it hadn’t worked. He looked as interesting a bowl of fibre-friendly cereal. Sesshoumaru would be having a chat with Rin when work was back in session.

“Are we going?” The other girl pouted at Hojo, so he bid them a good night and followed her away.

Kagome tucked herself back into his side. “I’m glad he found someone.”

“It will not last.”

“Sesshoumaru! You don’t even know him.”

“I know that he was not good enough for you, yet he still longs for what he cannot have.”

“It isn’t like that,” she murmured. “Hojo is wonderful. He just isn’t right for me. I need someone more... exciting.” She laughed. “Though I’ve had some pretty overwhelming men come onto me in the last month and that’s not right either.”

“You require balance.”

“I want things to be natural.”

He nodded and pulled her along. She had chilled again while they were apart, so he led her out of the market and into a 24-hour café that was teeming with couples. He brought her a hot chocolate and joined her at a bistro table tucked away in a quiet corner.

She moaned when she took her first sip of hot chocolate, and the thrill that went through him at the sound was completely unprofessional.

“Kagome?” He recognized the man who greeted her as one from the party.

“Inuyasha, hey! I saw that you got back together with your ex, congrats!”

Another from the file and he liked this one even less than the last. “Thanks. You were right. I was being stupid. Sorry.”

She shook her head and grinned. “Just don’t screw it up this time, OK?”

“Yeah. I’m glad you found a date too.” A woman who looked remarkably like Kagome approached them. Her straight hair was pulled back and she fixed Kagome with a small smile that struck Sesshoumaru as triumphant. Kagome stiffened slightly and he reached under the table to grip her hand. She relaxed and squeezed his hand back.

Inuyasha lingered a moment too long, until his girlfriend laced their fingers together and pulled him away.

Kagome leaned across the table towards him and spoke in a low voice. “Thanks for not telling them you weren’t my date.”

It hadn’t even occurred to him to correct them. “Another ex?” he asked.

She shrugged. “We didn’t go out for very long. Inuyasha is great in a lot of ways, but he has some growing up to do. Besides, it wasn’t me he wanted.”

Perhaps she needed someone who was more mature, he reasoned. Someone who would not get caught up in a schoolboy crush or use her to rebound from a previous failure. Regardless, he’d be talking to Jaken about making such an incongruent pair.

“You deserve someone who sees you.”

Their eyes met and she smiled sweetly at him. “Thanks.”

She took their empty mugs to the counter and chatted with the barista, who laughed uproariously at whatever she said. Sesshoumaru looked above them at a decorative wall clock and cursed. Only an hour left to find this delightful woman her Valentine’s romance, and he’d been enjoying himself instead of working! He wracked his brain for somewhere with intelligent, mature, fun, attractive people, where he could find a single man for her, and his head was spinning when she approached him and tugged on his sleeve.

“Sesshoumaru? What’s wrong?”

“I just realized I didn’t finish something at work, and it was very important.”

“Do you have to go?”

He grasped her hand and pulled her outside. Snow had begun to fall while they were inside, and the crystals floated to the earth, getting caught in her hair like diamonds.

“No, it’s too late to go back to the office.”

“If we can’t do anything about it then we might as well find you someone hot! Maybe the problem is that we’re looking for love when we should just be helping you work off your tension.”

Was she actually insinuating that he needed to get laid? The thought perturbed him so much that his lip curled up into a sneer. “I’m not a dog. I’m not looking for a quick fuck.”

She flushed at his bad language and dropped his hand, which felt empty without hers. “That’s not what I meant! Ok. It is what I meant. I’m sorry to have offended you. I just thought that maybe – you said you’ve been working hard and you’re clearly exhausted- and.”

“Kagome,” he hummed. “I’m not angry with you, but I’m not looking for that, or anything else.”

After tonight he would go home to his apartment, which was blissfully quiet, and enjoy time to himself. He didn’t need or want company. But he found himself wondering, since failure was imminent, why he hadn’t left her to get some much-needed rest.

He meant to calm her and was shocked when she stiffened in his arms. “Oh my God you’re married aren’t you? And this isn’t a date, definitely not, because I’m your wingman, but we’ve been holding hands and hanging out like a couple and you have a wife at home?”

A middle aged man walking by whistled at her loud exclamation and shook his head at Sesshoumaru. He had to bite his tongue.

He waited until she was panting, her breath fogging the air between them, and then stepped back. “Do you think I would behave like this if I had a separate romantic entanglement?”

He added ‘jumps to conclusions’ on his mental list of her traits.

“No wife?”

“None.”

“Girlfriend?”

“Nonexistent.”

“We have been acting like a couple though.”

He considered their night and sighed. Being forced to acknowledge it meant that it had to end.

“Yes. I’m sorry.”

She stepped closer to him, so that he could feel the heat radiating off her. Her lips brushing his neck when she whispered. “Why are you sorry?”

“I meant to find love for you, and now it is too late.”

“You can’t just find love silly. Remember what I said?”

Attraction. Comfort. Balance. Shared experiences. Was that not all things that they had? He marked off his mental checklist one by one.

Her hands fisted into the front of his shirt as his found its way to the nape of her neck. His thumb settled on her pulse point and he could feel her heartbeat go wild under his touch. Gently, as if she might break, he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers, almost toppling over when she launched herself at him. She wrapped both arms around his neck and pulled him into her, opening her mouth to deepen the kiss. He complied, running his tongue across the roof of her mouth and feeling her melt into him. When they broke apart, he found her flushed and breathless.

“Does this mean I’ve failed as a wingman or that I’ve excelled at it?”

He thought of his upcoming holiday review and pulled her back to him. “I will let you know.”

The clock struck midnight, and technically Kagome Higurashi had found her Valentine.

[neokids]

Act IX

Masterlist (read previous ones here!)

Act IX

Tw: Lots of blood, character death, violence, murder, guns, knives, weapons, foul language, self-inflicted wounds, suicide, overall graphic content

“You know what, I think he’s faking it,” Jaemin said as he nudged the corpse with his foot. “He looks asleep or something, I don’t know.” he added as turned to look at Haechan.

Haechan immediately rolled his eyes, it was already obvious that the man was long gone. The man already turned gray, not to mention his fingertips were turning black, he was also cold as ice. Haechan couldn’t tell what was worse, the two of them in such close proximity with a dead infected man, or Jaemin’s sense of humor.

“Your paintings could wait, you know?” Haechan sassed, “Besides, Jeno specifically told us to be the ones to do the inspecting.”

“I think Jeno is a pathological liar,” Jaemin replied with a huff, “He just can’t find it in himself to look at dead bodies with us.”

“Just shut up,” Haehan shot back, patience running thin from all of Jaemin’s whining, “You’re distracting me from said task.”

The sun had just risen an hour ago, yet the streets of Seoul were already bustling with activities. The fishermen were already at the boardwalks finishing their nets, students already walking to their schools hand in hand, couples already having their morning breakfast, and alas here stan Jaemin and Haechan inspecting said dead bodies.

Haechan frowned as he kneeled towards the corpse in the hidden alleyway. As per usual, they were assigned cleanup duty. That same cleanup duty also included paying and bribing any policemen from trying to pick at whatever they were doing. Jaemin crouched down as well, not to inspect the corpse, but to further bother Haechan instead.

“Distracting you?” Jaemin asked as he raised a brow, “If anything, that’s actually good if you ask me. I’m distracting you from the morbidity of this all.”

“Last time I checked,” He looked at Jaemin with a bored expression, “I didn’t ask you anything. I would thank you if you actually helped me.” This time, it was Jaemin’s turn to roll his eyes.

“I am helping you,”

“Whatever. We need to identify these bodies before we go back and report everything to Jeno and–By God are you listening to me?!” Haechan snapped when he saw Jaemin completely ignoring him. He was counting something and looking at someone, before Haechan could see who Jaemin was looking at, he immediately turned his attention back to Haechan.

“Six people, Donghyuck.” Jaemin said as he looked at him with solemn eyes. “Another six people have died, how the hell are we supposed to identify said people when–”

“Shut up,”

“No I won’t shut up because I–”

“I said shut up, look,” Haechan said as he spotted a strange black object near the corpses. “It’s the same insect we brought to Kun’s lab.”

The discovery made Jaemin instantly shut up.

“Oh fuck no,” Jaemin said as he sat against the wall, holding his knees close to his chest.

Along the cracks in the cement of the road, you could see black dots everywhere. At first glance, those black dots could easily blend in with the gravel. But just like how collectors could detect a minor defect in their collections of thousands, the moment Haechan laid his eyes on the cracks, he knew those insects weren’t supposed to be there.

“It’s the exact same,” he said as he picked up one of the insects and showed it to Jaemin, who instead of whining or complaining, just grimaced upon the sight.

“Do you remember Daegal?” Jaemin asked, still not letting go of the insect.

“Of course,” Haechan answered as he remembered Daegal. Daegal was their dog who had died when they were kids. It was strange when they found out she had died, not a speck of blood anywhere to be found. Haechan was cut off guard from the sudden change in topic, which was not bizarre of course when it came to Jaemin. Who knows how long that guy could talk about something for so long?

“Do you remember when Lord Lee first got her?” Jaemin continued, “Do you remember how much we let her outside? How much we played with her?”

Jaemin was trying to get at something, but Haechan still didn’t know what. Haechan could never understand how people like Jaemin converse with other people on a regular basis, so random and all at once.

“Yeah, no one wanted to bathe her after every time we played. She had caught so many fleas that they were already jump–”

“Knife,” Jaemin motioned to Haechan, “Give me your knife.”

Without missing a beat, Haechan immediately tossed his knife to Jaemin. He crouched closer to the corpse as he sliced the knife straight across the corpse’s hair. When the piece of skin fell limply on the ground, Jaemin and Haechan leaned closer to examine the corpse’s scalp.

“Now that,” Jaemin said as he desperately tried to find the right words, “Is disgusting.” Haechan continued.

The scalp revealed many black dots on the corpse, it was the home of the said insect Haechan was holding a while ago. The skin was raised, causing many black bumps to bulge from the first layer of skin. Haechan’s scalp itched just by the disgusting sight in front of them. This caused Jaemin’s grip on his knife to become tighter. Damn his curiosity.

He slowly sliced another two lines from his original incision, with his blade, he gently pushed at one of the raised bumps. Jaemin hesitated, he held his breath. He was expecting for the worst, but as he pushed harder, nothing happened.

“Go on,” Haechan said, unsatisfied with the result. “Give it a pull,” Jaemin looked at him to find any signs of teasing, but he was dead serious. “You, you must be joking”

“My hands are full, Jaem.”

“I fucking hate you.”

With his blade, he cautiously inserted the knife between the slit. Jaemin was dreading pulling his blade out, so with a nudge from Haechan, he had no choice. After poking around, he withdrew his knife. Only causing hundreds of black dead insects to splatter all over the ground, they went silent.

“Who would have ever thought,” Haechan said, breaking the silence. “We might have discovered what’s causing this madness.”

Jaemin immediately threw his knife and stood up, afraid that he himself might catch the said madness. He wanted to get out of there and he wanted to get out of there fast. “Let’s go,” he said, panic lacing his voice. “I’m sure this piece of information will gladly satisfy Jeno, let’s go.”

“We still need to identify the bodies,” Haechan countered just as Jaemin was already walking away from the scene. “I don’t care, and surely Jeno wouldn't either when he finds out what we found out.” Jaemin said, turning around to face Haechan, he was already a few steps away from the latter, and he had no plans of coming closer.

“Let’s. Go.” He said as he motioned for Haechan to leave. Haechan had no other choice but to follow. The two walked in silence, mostly because Jaemin was still irked to his core and Haechan was still thinking about the previous scenes.

“Who were you looking at?” Haechan asked, Jaemin was confused. “Huh? What do you mean who was I looking at?” Jaemin asked as well.

“Huh? A while ago when we were inspecting the corpse you looked like you were looking at someone,” Haechan said as they came to a stop. “Who was that someone?”

To be really honest, Haechan never saw Jaemin look at something or someone like that in his entire life. He looked like he had seen a living saint or an ancient artifact, all hope in his face that he had ever had in his life was present. Haechan never saw Jaemin look as hopeful as he did a while ago. He would have figured that maybe if they weren’t so occupied at the moment, Jaemin would have easily sprinted towards the person.

“Ah,” Jaemin said, looking away to look at their surroundings. He looked uneasy with the slightest hints of regret. “A family member?” Haechan asked.

Jaemin only grimaced as he looked at him, “Seriously, a family member? You know damn well all my family members were burned to ashes.”

“Well then who was it?” Haechan asked, hoping for a better, a more solid answer.

“No one,” Jaemin said as he continued walking, “Just somebody who I thought I used to know.”

[naruthings]

THE NEJITEN FANFICTION RECOMMENDATION MASTERLIST

oh, anon, the lack of nejiten fics thrive in the hearts of many… i may have similar experiences myself……………

but fear not, i have searched far and wide and i have returned and came back stronger than ever before!!! after re-reading every single nejiten fic i have on my favorites�� handpicked the best ones and returned with even more fic recs!!! so ladies and gentlemen, i present to you, only THE BEST NEJITEN FICS YOU WILL READ ON FANFICTION DOT NET. HERE WE GO!!!

HALL OF FAME: ONE-SHOTS

THE BEST one-shots you will find on the site. Some are fluffy, some are sad, some will make you want to rip your heart out. But rest assured that without a doubt these fics are the absolute frivvy. These will not disappoint!

Tier 1: Spring — Here we appreciate the beauty of simplicity. Fics full of fluff and spunk that end in one and will make you end up feeling peppy and happy afterwards. A refreshing break from the complexities of life, short and sweet but nicely written, representing everything bright and new and blossoming, but most importantly, pure. So, friends, get your toothbrushes ready, because you are in for a sweet ride!

Tags: fluff, romance, humor, family, friendship

1. The Kissing Booth by BrownEyedHoneyBadger

— “ Lee was already reaching for a dollar inside his pocket. Mentally, Tenten began to scream. No. No. NO. This could not be happening. She should get up and run. Screw charity work. She was not kissing the guy whose eyebrows were furrier than the school mascot.”

Comments: A great start into the journey. NEJI IS SO GODDAMN SMOOTH. basically this fic is incredibly witty and genius. ugh!!

2. Psst! by Arkana

— “Lee finds out about Neji and Tenten’s relationship the hard way. The VERY hard way. “

Comments: I BUST MY ASS LAUGHING AT THIS ONE. I SWEAR THIS IS THE BEST, SWEETEST MOST IDIOTIC SHIT I HAVE EVER READ. PLS GIVE IT A GOOO

3. Conversations: Somniloquy by Mendori-chan

— “Neji. Your spit is warm.“

Comments: A storytelling all in dialogue. The perfect reenactment of something supposed to be short and sweet. I loved the dialogue and continue to love it!!

4. Godiva by Toboe Lonewolf

— “Neji had broken one of the most hallowed rules known to woman. ‘Thou shalt not steal her chocolate.’ Tenten’s going to make sure he never does it again. At least, not without her permission.”

Comments: just the fluffiest fluff out there!!

5. Screw Chivalry by Hearts and Stuff

—  “Tenten didn’t want to do it. Really. But Neji shouldn’t have been such a butt.”  

Comments: FUNNY AND HUMOROUS. I loved this so much! Has one of my favorite dialogue in any fic, really. PROBABLY REREAD THIS LIKE 100 TIMES IN 7TH GRADE

6. Hindsight by YamiPaladinofChaos

— “Sasuke and Tenten, on a date? Neji is not happy, not in the least. And of course, it’s all Naruto’s fault. No, really. It is.”

Comments: Okay, THIS SHIT WAS HILARIOUS. OH MY GOD. THANK U FOR THIS WONDERFUL AND FUNNY ASS FIC. kinda gets weird tho but i guess it’s part of the appeal.

7. I’m a Kunoichi, But by notesonlife

— “Tenten and Neji read a feminist book. And of course, trouble ensues, as Neji becomes increasingly aware that Tenten is currently, and may have always been, a girl.”

Comments: So, guys, notesonlife has always been one of my favorite authors early on my nejiten phase, and this is one of my favorites. please read their other stories as well!

8. The Problem with Hats by Aquarius Galuxy

— “Broken a/c, a tipped-over Weinermobile, and a girl who can’t seem to stop bugging him. It seems as if Neji’s day can’t get any worse than this.”

Comments: A sweet, well written fic by one of the writing senpais herself, @aquariusgaluxy ! I love both Neji and Tenten here so much!! NEJI IS SO FCKN CUTE HERE!! AND CHEEKY TENTEN!!!! AAA

9. Mission: Reverse Nejiten by Adelle-chan

— “Tired of all the failed attempts, Naruto uses Lee’s beliefs to get the two together. Or sort of.”

Comments: HOLY CRAP THIS WAS GREAT AND FUNNY AS HELL. Characterization is on point. This is my definition of a perfect naruto fic — where the other characters interact with the ship and the dynamic is great, like it’s part of the main story all along. i fucking love this one.

10. Truth Be Told by Mistress of Sarcasm

— “Hyuuga Neji falls for Tenten the day she almost broke his nose. Tenten doesn’t think of Hyuuga Neji as boyfriend material until an hour before he confesses.”

Comments: Holy crap! this was sweet as fuck! also one of the OG fics I want you all to read. Please give it a try!

11. Fifty Winks by Sandataba

— “Oversleeping is sometimes a good thing.”

Comments: Nice and Fluffy. shit u want to eat. I found the last part super cute!!!!! STILL think abt this fic from time to time.

12. Boxers by notesonlife

— “In which Tenten reorganizes Neji’s underwear drawer, and Neji decides to propose.”

Comments: OKAY, THE FLUFF IN THIS ONE WAS SIMPLY TOO MUCH. IT WAS TOO GOOD MAN. PERFECTION.

13. Rush Hour by Poisoned Scarlet

—  “It was during one of those days; when the crowd was at it’s fullest, that he strolled into the shop and inadvertently humiliated her.”

Comments: Heehee. this one was cute.

14. Actions Speak Louder by Lotos-Eater

— “Short oneshot containing a dangerous amount of fluffiness. The surgeon general recommends you brush your teeth immediately after reading.”

Comments: HOLY FUCK. THIS ONE WAS SO, SO CUTE. ISTG THIS SHIT WAS. AAAAAAA. JUST PERFECT. *CHEF’S KISS* PERFECT.

15. Keeping Up Appearances by 716799

— “Them? Caught in the act? NEVER.”

Comments: okay, at first i was a little hesitant to add this fic but THOUGHT IT WAS THE PERFECT ENDING!! SO SWEET N FLUFFY!!!

MORE UNDER THE CUT!!

Tier 2: Summer — Stories serving as a reminder of our lazy, hazy days of summer — complete with all the thrumming romance, sexual tension, and  drama that reflect easily so on those summery teenage memories. They’re sweet, spicy, sometimes heavy, but have all the ingredients you need for the perfect sunset fics. Read with passion! Let’s go!!

tags: romance, drama, lime, spicy

1. a memory stick filled with myspace friends by straw8erries

— “fake facebook dating: it’s really cute, she swears.”

Comments: Funny, spicy, a little heavy, but nonetheless hot, what other story to start off this tier? It’s a college AU , maybe not with the closure that you would expect from something like a summer romance, but it has these moments that shine.

2. Singing Sirens by 716799

— “Everything about this says that it’s not going to work. But Tenten has always specialised in disasters, and nothing in their world is a coincidence.”

Comments: Sooooooo hot. I love the goddamn dialogue, the characters feel so fresh and new but so true to heart at the same time. Please give it a try!

3. In Coffee City, We Borrowed Heaven by Aquarius Galuxy

— “It wasn’t as if he wanted to take this class, anyway. Reproductive Health 1101 was for people who couldn’t look up information on Google. Or someone who needed a science module to fit in his already-packed schedule. Hyuuga Neji belonged to the latter group of students, and he was in no mood to explain himself.“

Comments: As always, @aquariusgaluxy never fails. This was equally hot and equally clever, and you can’t help but with it were longer, but isn’t that the point??? sometimes ambiguity is also magical

4. Sixth Time’s the Charm by thedarkangel22

— "Gosh, Neji, where’s your sense of adventure, huh?” “I managed to lose it somewhere between the third and fourth time we were caught with your hand down my pants.” Where Tenten and Neji can’t seem to resist one another.

Comments: I remember reading this fic over and over again because I couldn’t get over how nicely written it was. Great plot, set up, dialogue, seeks excitement throughout the whole fic. Exhilarating. Pls read.

5. Revolver by Scintazzle

— “’You’d better not get in my way, incompetent novice.’ Tenten just got a new partner in crime. Unfortunately, he’d like nothing better than to work alone.”

Comments: Holy holy shitttttt, what is it with nejiten and agent cop AUs? They’re so goddamn hot. This one is no exception.

6. Recess by NessieGG

— “Tenten gets stuck on desk duty, but it’s a kind she’s not used to. 'Neji, I’m not going to have a make out session with you in a broom closet.'”

Comment: One comment: hehehehHHEHEHEHEHEHE

7. Eggnog by iflip4dolphins

— “She had slept with her worst enemy, and now she was trying to remember what had happened.”

Comments: OH MY GOD, this fic has such a good writing style. And such a great composition too. I just love everything about this fic. More love for this fic please. i super love it. I REREAD IT ALL THE TIME. IT’S LIKE MY GO-TO FOR PERFECT NEJITEN CHARACTERIZATION AND FLUFF. You will too!

8. Tension by Interim

— “Tension mounts when Tenten finds a surprise in her shower.”

Comments: YES. HDFGIHILHGIH.

9. I Swear I’m not Drunk Officer by fanfictioner22

— “The title says it all.”

Comments: THIS WAS FUNNY OK. and it had that spicy tinge to it that makes u wanna go mmmmf. MOTHERFUCKER!!

10. Airless by NessieGG

— “This was not the type of assignment that Team Gai specialized in. 'There’s something else you should know about the Grass nin…'”

Comments: OH MY GOD, this fic is all sorts of special! The drama, the tension…. the best resolution ever. written impeccably by the ever-talented nessiegg too. god i love this fic. it rlly has it all. v captivating!

11. In Men’s Clothing by voidforrent

—  “It wasn’t that Neji didn’t find Tenten’s breasts attractive; he was just trying to be respectful.”

Comments: Oooowee, I remember not liking this fic the first time i read it. but as i grew older i realized HOW FUCKING HOT THIS FIC ACTUALLY IS. I AM NOT EXAGGERATING. IT WILL MAKE YOU SWEAT!!

12. Racetrack to My Heart by Aquarius Galuxy

— “Ino takes Tenten to a blind date - except it’s not quite blind, and not quite what the latter expects.”

Comments: BRUH THIS FIC WAS HOT AND BRILLIANT. THAT’S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. NEJI AND TENTEN ARE SO FUNNY HERE. YOU WILL NOT REGRET THIS!!!

Tier 3: Autumn — Stories with pain, stories with substance. Stories that have something to say, making our hearts hurt, breaking them. Stories that are subtle, with some sort of comfort in the air. Bittersweet. A lot to take in. Stories that speak to the mind and soul. Stories with words and feelings as vivid as the warm colors of autumn, as the seasons prepare for the occurrence of death, and the winter to come.

tags: drama, hurt/comfort, romance, angst

1. Little Feet Working the Machine by pusa-is-me

— “There is a reason why Team Gai is not sent on seduction missions.”

Comments: This is, I think, the perfect fic to describe this tier. Painful and subtle. Plays with your feelings. Raw & powerful. Again, one of the first few things I ever read about nejiten. still think abt it from time to time.

2. Christmas, 1944 by Giada Luna

—  “Not all of the War Efforts were 'Over There.’ Tenten comes home froma long shift at the factory to an empty home, Bing crooning on the radio, and dreams of a Christmas with him back home.”

Comments: sad sad sad. then happy happy happy. cries and smiles. LOVED IT.

3. 13 Unmentionables by pusa-is-me

— “This is not a love story. At least not yet.”

Comments: OH MY GOD. OH MY FUCKING GOD. THIS FIC…. IT BROKE MY HEART, IT TORE ME TO PIECES. SOMETHING ABT IT JUST MAKES ME FUCKING ACHE. MAKES MY HEART THROB. GODDAMN. SO MUCH PAIN. IT’S SO FUCKING RAW.

4. Mindless Perversions of Love and Life by voidforrent

— “There were times when she couldn’t help but wonder why.”

Comments: (we’ve won, but at what cost?) :(

5. Birds by Snowshinobi

— “Birds fill his lungs, his throat, but still, not one reaches his mouth.”

Comments: Okay, okay. Tbh i rlly don’t know how to categorize this fic. did it break my heart? did it make me squeal? but something in my heart told me to categorize it as autumn. pls have fun because this is beautiful.

6. Certain the Journey by NessieGG

— “He made her understand that, to him, her love was absolutely worthless.”

Comments: Omg :(((( okay but this was beautiful as well.

7. fragmented dreams by Seynee

— “She has loved everything about him that hurts.”

Comments: so fucking beautiful. almost perfect. loved it.

8. Stitch my heart back together again by SaturnXK

—  “There is nothing I don’t love about you, Tenten,” Neji says softly. And Tenten wants to cry because it isn’t true. There are too many things wrong with her, and Neji is a liar.

Comments: OH MY GOD, this one attacked me right in the heart. it just… please just read it. it’s so pretty.

9. Mine for the Night by syaoran no hime

— “For this whole night, she will close her eyes and pretend that he is hers, his glacial heart and all. For tomorrow, she can never have the same liberty again.”

Comments: AHAHAHAH i remember reading because of this one. this author is just so og and so good :’)

10. Since Spring by NessieGG

— “Neji is driven to the brink of his sanity when his teammate disappears and is given an option. 'I can use a technique that will allow you to forget every memory you have of Tenten.'”

Comments: raw. powerful. ugh. a lot of feelings in this one, wrapped under beautifully written strings.

11. Those Old Feelings Again by Poisoned Scarlet

— “It wasn’t that they weren’t aware of their attraction for one another… it was just that one was good at burying it, and the other was too stubborn to admit it.”

Comments: :( and then :)

12. Bergeron Falls by Goldberry

— “It’s been five days since they’ve seen the sun and everything is water.”

Comments: oh, thank god i recommended a goldberry fic or else i’d never be able to forgive myself. yes this is very beautiful as always :)

13. Lotus by memory’s marionette

— “Even if I now saw you only once, I would long for you through worlds, worlds.“ Because one life is not enough for love, and the past forever bleeds into the future.

Comments: SUCHHHH a beautiful fic. oh my god. i almost want to highlight this and show it to the world because that’s just how good it is. reincarnation done and written perfectly. i love love love this fic~~~

14. Right Before His Eyes by NessieGG

— “There has been a change in Tenten that Neji does not understand. 'You’re leaving the team.'”

Comments: classic nessiegg :)

15. Falling Flight by Toboe Lonewolf

— “When Tenten falls, she falls hard. And right now, she’s falling hard…for him.”

Comments: OKAY, well honestly, I WAS SO EXCITED TO FINALLY RECOMMEND THIS. i know this isn’t drana/angst but it just felt right for me to recommend this under autumn. plsplspls enjoy!!

Tier 4: Winter — The end of the year, the end of an era. Bonds strengthened and broken. Friendships were made. Read as the branches of winter fill up with snow, trees of knowledge that have been through the seasons, preparing to die with everything they have with them. Stories about growing up. Stories about family. The beginning and the end. This is their outcome.

tags: family, hurt/comfort, angst, romance, friendship, fluff. basically all the tags. if you’d notice they’re all growing up fics with exceptions to some but i think you’ll understand :) this tier is more assorted but the feels speak the same

1. She Was There by Ally1313

— “She was there. She was always there.”

Comments: I don’t know why, but something about this fic always makes me want to cry. It has a very special place in my heart. I first read this when I was 12, and I loved it so goddamn much. THIS FIC, IT CHANGED MY LIFE. IT INSPIRED ME TO LOVE NEJITEN MORE THAN EVER. SO PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE ENJOY IT!! OH GOD I LOVE IT SO MUCH. WHAT A GREAT WAY TO START OFF WINTER.

2. Chichue by keroRiBBIT

— "I’m nervous,” Neji said. Hizashi smiled at him, “There’s nothing to be nervous about.” “You said that before too.” “Have I ever been wrong?” Neji growing up in Hizashi’s care.

Comments: OH HIZASHI. THIS FIC IS THE CUTEST GODDAMN THING I HAVE EVER READ. LOVE ITTTTT

3. coda in d minor by metaphorically-blue

—  “She doesn’t look like her father. /And children can’t recognize grief./”

Comments: this fic has been recommended to be by someone on tumblr before. needless to say, it broke my heart. a short angst break :’)

4. Fate by Silverlight

— “The first date, the first kiss, the first time he asked her to marry him.”

Comments: cute cute cute cute!!

5. 20truths: Neji and Tenten by Cyberwolf

— “The longest conversation the two have in school is when Tenten explains the advantage of titanium shurikens over plain steel ones to Neji, then wishes him luck in the target range.”

Comments: Of course, this winter growing-up-fic collection wouldn’t be complete without a 20truths!!

6. Only You by Byakuxhisa4eva

— “There are very few things he would ever deny her.“ Even at his cruelest, he had always been kind to her.”

Comments: okay, now this one is a classic :)

7. Shadows of the sun by withered

— “Death changes nothing, even when Neji is gone; Tenten is still trying to reach him.”

Comments: another short but necessary angst break :’)

8. A Series of Indecent Proposals by Pleasantries and the Aftermath

— “The first time he kissed her, she slapped him so hard, she left a welt.”

Comments: very very cute. they are just so. goddamn cute. very well written and nice characterization.

9. Drifting by Ariel32

— “They were drifting down a river, and the only thing that mattered was that they were driting together. You can’t help being in love.”

Comments: AAAAAAAAAAAAA this was so pretty!!!

10. Twenty Truths About Team Guy by RennaV

— “Twenty Truths about Team Guy the rest of Konoha doesn’t know. Mostly comedy and focusing on the relationships of the members of Team Guy. It does end kind of sadly. Sorry.”

Comments: OK THIS IS A BIG ONE. A BIGBIGBIG ONE. I REMEMBER reading this and wailing like a little baby. i really cried a lot. this one built up my heart and shattered it to pieces. beautiful.

11. Soul-Marks by fanfictioner22

— “The soulmate!AU Nejiten style.”

Comments: this one was so clever and thoughtful. so goddamn funny and full of substance. LOVED IT.

12. Irresistible by MyFallenAngel

— “The fact that Hyuuga Neji was irresistibly irresistible was undeniable.”

Comments: This was one of the fics I read earlier on, and it was SO CUTE. Everything was just so pure, so undeniably Nejiten. Please, give it a read!

13. Papercranes by Bloody Angels

— “The paper cranes have always been a part of her life and perhaps, they always will be.”

Comments: CAN YOU HEAR IT???!? MY HEART ROSE AND FELL. SO PRETTY. SO BEAUTIFUL!! broke it too. cried like a little bitch.

14. Blind by Midnight Insomniac

— “She is sixteen and in love.”

Comments: HNNNGGG THIS ONE RLLY STRUCK A CHORD IN MY HEART. THIS ONE ALWAYS STANDS OUT TO ME FOR SOME REASON. LOVE IT!!

15. Chance Encounters by Scintazzle

— “That humiliating moment where Tenten grabs the shoulder of a person who she thinks she knows, turns him around, and doesn’t recognize him. At all. And things just go downhill from there.”

Comments: CUTECUTECUTECUTE AAAAA

16. Severing Ties by fanfictioner22

— “Some ties are better severed and Tenten learns it the hard way.”

Comments: angst breakkkkk but it was v beautiful :’)

17. Truth Be Told by MistressofSarcasm

— “Hyuuga Neji falls for Tenten the day she almost broke his nose. Tenten doesn’t think of Hyuuga Neji as boyfriend material until an hour before he confesses.”

Comments: I REMEMBER THIS ONE. IT WAS SO CUTE. I LOVED NEJI AND TENTEN IN THIS. ONE OF MY PERSONAL FAVS :)

18. The Seasons by sotto.voce88

— “Love was never seasonal.”

Comments: v beautiful :)

19. Patchwork by NessieGG

—  “When she thought he was sleeping, he saw her get scissors and snip off a section of the yellow sheet beneath their intertwined bodies.”

Comments: I remember always avoiding this fic no matter how much times it popped up on my feed. I remember it was because I was very scared of how heavy this fic would be. I was right. It’s too beautiful for words. I CRIED AGAIN. JESUS I RLLY CRIED WITH THIS ONE. Just really the perfect way to end this tier, please read Patchwork!! (classic nessiegg, always beautiful :(()

Okay, now that concludes my oneshots recommendations!! I get to breathe a little now :)) please read all of them. they really are the best of the best. Now moving on…

THE KONOHA INTERLUDE: OUTSIDE LOOKING IN

nejiten oneshots/ficlets written in the perspective of the konoha 13!! pls enjoy these for they are genius :)

1. The Lost Things by pusa-is-me

— “Where Shikamaru realizes that the Hyuuga Neji does know how to get jealous, and that for all her intelligence, Tenten was pretty oblivious.”

Comments: A little ShikaTen is always cute for me. I love shikamaru and love it when he appears in nejiten fanfictions because he of all people know how oblivious those two are to one another :))

2. No Competition Here by carved in the sand

— “You think your man has anything on mine?”

Comments: Pure crack-ish fluff and humor

3. Replacements by 716799

— “Nothing is ever as good as the real thing. (One day, she will ask him to henge.)”

Comments: o noessss…. but also AN ABSOLUTE MUST-READ. THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE NEJITEN FICS OF ALL TIME. i LOVE THIS SO GODDAMN MUCH AND IT’S BEAUTIFUL AS FUCK NOT TO MENTION GENIUS!!

4. Exchange by Wielder of Paperclips

— “In a short exchange of words, Shikamaru enlightens Tenten. “

Comments: ANOTHER ONE OF MY FAVORITES. GOD I THINK ABOUT THIS FIC EVERY DAY. THE DIALOGUE IS SO CUTE AND SHIKA IS THE BEST!!

5. Princess by insert cliche

— “One of the biggest reasons why Uchiha Sasuke hates Hyuuga Neji is also the most unknown.”

Comments: vv cute!! a stoke of genius

6. Bad Dog, No Biscuit by Lotos-Eater

— “Or, Inuzuka Kiba’s Even Longer Day. Kiba is not quite the player he thinks he is. Will there be anyone to appreciate his animal magnetism and rugged charm?”

Comments: KIBA IS A GENIUS. I REALLY REALLY LIKE HIM AND I THINK THAT HE WAS WRITTEN REALLY WELL IN THIS FIC. PLS READ THIS ONE IT’S HILARIOUS.

7. Inner Light by NessieGG

— “She had heard the rumors. But she had never gone so far as to assume that they might be true.”

Comments: OMG. THIS WAS BEAUTIFUL. I really just like anything to do with Sakura. She’s so ugh here you really really feel her. Beautifulll

8. Sempiternal by saccharinely

— “In which she sends the letters left unsent. She needs closure. He gives it to her.”

Comments: A really beautiful SasuTen fic. Somehow it should be triggering but it all makes sense to me :)

HALL OF FAME: FICLETS

a.k.a.: stories that are too long to be oneshots but are too short to be actual fanfics. usually around 2-3 chapters but wouldn’t have been done any better :))

1. On Sex by Lotos-Eater

— “With titles like this, who needs summaries?”

Comments: Really, it seems shallow, but it’s truly one of the best-written, most beautiful and introspective things I have ever read. it really grew on me and I love it so goddamn much!! IM SERIOUS I RLLY LOVE THIS ONE ITS ONE OF MY GO-TOs

2. Goldilocks by a Different Name by Aquarius Galixy

— “Tenten discovers that someone has been living in her apartment when she goes away on long missions.”

Comments: vv cute fic with very witty dialogue :) neji is cute

3. Call Your Manager by Clementive

— “Tenten’s feelings for her English project partner are as complicated as his coffee order.”

Comments: another really cute fic. Tenten is a legend!!

4. Heatwave by Yahboohbeh

— “When she found her breath again it was ragged. Only one thought tore through her mind: Consume me. The Suna sun wasn’t the only reason their faces burned.”

Comments: very very hot n spicy like the title and caption suggesttttS

5. Perchance by KNO

— "Wow, what are the odds we’re both at the same party AGAIN?”

Comments: ONE OF MY FAVORITE NEJITEN FICS OF ALL TIME. i love this one so much. so witty and smart, especially all the expressions and dialogue. Super cute too!!

6. Four Conversations on the Subject of Flight by wildcatt

— “Flying is not as perfect as you imagine it to be, you know. Flying is just falling up.”

Comments: So fucking affecting all the time, I sweat. For some reason I always remember this fic when i think of nejiten :0 PLSPLS READ THIS ONE!!

7. Confessions by Cyberwolf

— “Tenten is trying to tell Neji something. He’s not quite getting it.”

Comments: THIS ONE WAS VERY VERY FUNNY AND CUTE. I LOVE ANYTHING WITH THE KONOHA 13. BRILLIANT!!

8. The Only Alliance by notesonlife

— “A black leather bound sketchbook binds her to him, and breaks her against him.”

Comments: THIS ONE WAS BEAUTIFUL. TRULY A HALL OF FAMER. SO MUCH SUBSTANCE AND ALWAYS STICKS WITH YOU. WRITTEN VERY PRETTILY. PLS READ!!!!!!!!

HALL OF FAME: ONE-SHOT COLLECTIONS

a recommendation panel of the best one-shot collections you will ever find on the site!! as if a single one-shot was enough… :”)

1. Vicissitude by KNO

— “A collection of drabbles and one shots. Neji and TenTen pairing. Contains regular appearances of other characters.”

Comments: THIS. THIS IS PROBABLY MY FAVORITE. EVERY frickn oneshot in here is a gem and i treasure all of them in my heart. genius, too. In here stems a lot of my favorite nejiten oneshots ever. PLEASE GIVE IT A TRY!!

2. The Path to Ashes by notesonlife

— “Neji says it’s their fate. Tenten shows him nothing is secure like that. NejiTen. 017: Naruto’s smirk reached ear to ear. “Next, whoever both gets twelve will kiss.”

3. One shots: Neji and Tenten by I-Heart-Hatake-Kakashi

— “100 Nejiten oneshots. Chapter 100 - Happy Birthday Neji!”

Comments: okay, when in your entire life do you get to say: “I WROTE 100 ONESHOTS FOR NEJITEN” ever???!?!? well, this author can! they actually wrote 100 nejiten oneshots and all of them were so unique and affecting and had this certain continuity to it that left me in tears when I finished.

4. Shades of Konoha: Dragon and Phoenix by Giada Luna

— “Series of oneshots featuring Neji and Tenten. Chapter 32: NejiTen Month 2019: Body/Cursed * They tell him he is born to bound - and he believes them.”

Comments: I have only recently discovered this collection and have been loving it so far. Props to Giada Luna for all the times I smiled bc of these!!

6. Right, Wrong and What Falls Between by Aquarius Galuxy

— “What is, what was, what may have been. (Part 34: Three feet away, Neji continues to read his papers, as if ignorant of what she’s doing.)”

Comments: ANOTHER ONE OF MY FAVORITES. God I really love these. There are some real gems in this collection. Genius fics. PLEASE READ THIS ALONG WITH POSTCARDS. THEY ARE BOTH QUITE GENIUS.

7. Untouched by MakeYouSmile

— “Why are you doing this to me?“ Tenten asked quietly. Neji did not give her the pleasure of responding. "After all that’s happened, you’re still standing in the same place.” –A collection of Neji/Tenten shorts.

Comments: A lot of beautifully written Romance/Angst on this one. Really heavy n affecting!!

8. Perks and Pains by keroRiBBIT

— “There are pros and cons in every situation. Most of the time, one just outweighs the other. Ch. 3: A lover with such long hair. Perks: It comes in handy when you desperately want to hold on to something. Pains: It tends to get messy in the morning.”

Comments: SHORT BUT GENIUS. THIS SHIT WAS FUCKING HILARIOUS, TAKE MY WORD ON THIS. THE FIRST CHAPTER ALREADY HAD ME HOOKED. SERIOUSLY IT’S HILARIOUS AND GENIUS AND AURGHHH PLS JUST GO READ IT!!!

9. Careless Whispering by misspandalily

— “17: Neji, Tenten and Lee are fairies who run a catering business together. Mostly AU oneshots.”

Comments: VERY CUTE FIC COLLECTION by one of my closest nt authors!! pls give it a try!!

10. Lotus Blossoms and Other Musings by Yahboohbeh

— “Collection of one-shots. Part 28: Her eyes were nothing like his.”

Comments: Very sweet collection :))

HALL OF FAME: MULTICHAPTERED

okay, okay, i gotta admit, i’m not particularly the strongest in this department. yes, I am quite knowledgeable on nejiten one-shots, but unfortunately i have not read a lot of the longer ones. but the ones here… they’re really good. so with those words, i hope and trust that you will enjoy these :)

1. Manager and Other Side Jobs by Scintazzle

— “Accepting the shady job offer wasn’t really one of her best choices…but discovering she threw up on her future boss was even worse. Tenten’s new relationship brings a whole new meaning to complete and utter servitude.”

Comments: THIS FIC. I have so much feelings with this fic. Scintazzle’s writing is one of the few that I can actually follow through. Very interesting plot and a lot of sexual tension. !!!

2. Eyes Like Pale Thistle by Aquarius Galuxy

— “She crawled beneath his skin and questioned the way he saw life. Perhaps all he’d wanted, really, was a little bit of control.”

Comments: I REALLY REALLY LOVE THIS ONE. Was super hot but had a lot of substance and a lot to say. Had moments of brilliance that I really appreciate!

3. Neji Gaiden by Levi Ackerman

— “Inspired by recent omake - if Neji wants a gaiden, Neji will get a gaiden! This story chronicles Neji’s life with his team starting from their graduation from the Academy. Follows canon with extra details.”

Comments: NEJI GAIDEN! HOLY HOLY SHIT PLEASE READ THIS ONE. DEFINITELY A MUST-READ. Since it follows canon it really gives it more points because IT GETS NEJI AND TENTEN’S CHARACTERIZATION REALLY ON POINT. AND EVERYTHING MAKES SENSE WHICH IS SUPER CUTE. PLEASE OH GOD READ THIS ONE. IT’S QUITE GENIUS AND IS VERY WELL WRITTEN. the author really knows the characters she’s writing about and UGHHH JUST PLEASE. It’s a shame it isn’t finished tho, but otherwise IT’S WORTH IT!!

4. like paper dolls and little notes by Seynee

— ”It’s not that Tenten hates flying. In fact, she kind of likes it. Especially when she gets free cocktails. Especially when she’s sitting next to a handsome stranger. Especially when she gets to talk to him. This is going to be good.”

Comments: nawwww this one was a classic. really hesitant to finish this before but the ending is totally worth it. made me cryy :”)

5. The Fat and Pretty of Art School by Paper Lanterns and Yoghurt

— “We’ll laugh and we’ll sing (poorly) but whatever happens we’re in it together babe.”

Comments: OMG. I LOVE THIS ONE SO MUCH. BASICALLY THE ULTIMATE HEADCANON TO THE NEJITEN HIJINKS. It’s super super cute and the characters are really on-point. had some really funny and endearing moments too. love Tenten’s friendship with shika and sasuke here. SUPER COOL YOU FEEL LIKE A COOL KID WHILE READING THIS.

6. Rapunzel by wildcatt

— “And she leads the blind prince home.”

Comments: It is quite short, but it is REALLY REALLY BEAUTIFUL. I WAS SOBBING, COMPLETELY IN TEARS during mass as I read this fic. Everything is written with so much heart and pain. pls give this one a try.

6. Complexities of Blackmail by Aquarius Galuxy

— “[Everything in the world is about sex, except sex. Sex is about power.] Lieutenant Tenten finds herself caught in a web of blackmail when Lt Hyuuga Neji stumbles upon her doing what she shouldn’t have been. Mere rivalry between old teammates turns into something deeper, much to Tenten’s horror and bewilderment.”

Comments: Ohhhh, blackmail, blackmail, blackmail. Of course. This is the god of all nejiten fics. It’s so fucking beautiful. Every time I go back to this in every chapter is just something so beautiful and bewildering it warms my heart. DEFINITELY A MUST-READ. Blackmail just sticks. Left me as a sobbing mess at the end. Very raw and very powerful.

7. Crossing the Middle Line by Scintazzle

— “You know you’re screwed when your ex-girlfriend becomes your new secretary…and you’re falling in love with her all over again.”

Comments: OH MY GOd this FIC THIS FUCKING FIC. very hot. sweet n spicy. short and cute. quite hilarious at times. loved it!!

8. Right Kind of Wrong by Nokito-chan

— “She yanked him out of his comfort zone. He made her want things she tried to guard against. Somewhere in the middle … hell broke loose.”

Comments: OMG. THIS FIC WAS EVERYTHING. super hot as well and was a really fun time. tenten’s bond with konohamaru was really sweet :)

9. The Twelve Days of Christmas by Giada Luna

—  A quirk of fate turns Tenten into a modern day Snow White and tosses her into the lives of the Huyga-Uzumaki family right at Christmas. However, she has her own problems, and not time for 'Prince Not-So-Charming’ or anything else to get in her way.”

Comments: a very cute and light read that is perfect for the seasons! giada is such a talented writer; her words flow and make sense. everything is as it should be :)

10. Scars and Stitches by pusa-is-me

— “A love triangle of Gai-stronomic proportions.”

Comments: THIS. THIS. I hate this fic. I love it to death. So much conflicting emotions here, but left me at tears as always. Really just one of the best nejiten fics i’ve ever read out there, and the perfect last recommendation. I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO SAY. WHAT A WAY TO END THIS CHAPTER

CLOSING REMARKS

So that concludes my masterlist! What do you think? It was a long-term project I started in march? and have finally finished in time for the holidays!

I’m 100% sure that there are some brilliant fics I missed along the way, and I apologise if I haven’t added them. Please give me more recommendations so I may add them. And Please treasure all these fics as I have.

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas! I hope these keep you covered for the rest of your breaks :)

Pls also check out the authors here on tumblr for they are still active :)

AUTHOR TAG:

@iridescentirises @aquariusgaluxy @misspandalily @giada-luna @fanfictioner22 @zealousheart

[flipomatic]

Internship Chapter 30: Day 25 - Edric

Author Note: There are just 5 chapters left! Thanks for reading so far!

First Chapter Previous Chapter

__________________________________________________________

With only a couple days left in his internship, Edric was quite chipper. Sure, he would have to go back to school after this, but at least he wouldn’t be spending all day on his feet.

He met Frederick by the locker room as usual, with the other witch beating him there as he always did. They exchanged small talk while they walked to the dispatcher’s office.

Unusually, there was another coven member already inside the office with him. Edric didn’t know who it was until they spoke.

“Just the pair I was waiting for.” The coven member, now identifiable as Nick, much to Edric’s displeasure, said as the pair entered the room.

“Are we being deployed together?” Frederick asked. He had mentioned that he expected to be put in training today, after being in the field for the first three days of the week.

The dispatcher shook his head. “No, you’re being deployed. I need a minute though.” He then turned to Nick, tone sharpening. “What is it you want, exactly?” He sounded displeased.

Nick crossed his arms. “As I said, the intern should be assigned to me for the rest of the week.” So, he wanted to take Edric away from Frederick for the last two days. He must’ve been trying to gain favor with the Emperor, Edric figured.

“You still haven’t explained why.” The dispatcher sounded annoyed, as if this conversation was grating on his nerves. Edric could understand; he was also irritated by the topic.

“You heard about what happened last week, and just a couple days ago Frederick led him on an illegal arrest.” Nick uncrossed his arms so he could count those two reasons on his fingers. Hold up, both of those things happened because of where they were deployed. Neither was Frederick’s fault.

“Excuse me,” Frederick intervened in the argument before Edric could. “Both of those situations turned out fine.”

The dispatcher wasn’t impressed either. “One slip up isn’t enough to strip his responsibilities away. Besides, neither you nor I have the authority to do that.”

“We both know that nobody higher up will object.” Nick pressed harder, his tone insistent. He leaned over the table, hovering over the dispatcher.

The dispatcher wasn’t caving. “No, and that’s final.” With that said, he turned back to Frederick and Edric. “The two of you are being sent on some reconnaissance today.”

He shifted through his papers, taking a couple photos out of the stack. As he rifled through, Nick huffed and stormed out of the office. Good riddance, Edric didn’t like him anyway.

The pictures showed a couple different angles of a rundown building with broken windows. The walls looked damaged and crumbling. “This building was recently abandoned. We need to make sure it’s actually empty. Check it out, see what you can find.” He cast an illusion quickly, which made a large map of the city appear behind him. To west of town, a yellow dot flashed. “It’s located here, you can get there by palisman.”

“Alright, we’ll take a look around.” Frederick examined the map carefully and took the photos, before fetching a palisman staff from the supply.

The two left the dispatcher’s office without another word, heading outside to fly to their destination. Frederick didn’t offer any comments about why Nick was trying to get Edric assigned to him, and there was no way Edric was going to bring the topic up.

Once they were on the palisman, flying high above the city, Frederick finally spoke. “Be careful today.” He said, glancing back at Edric. “The building looks unstable, so watch your step.”

“I will.” Edric replied, having to raise his voice to be heard over the wind. The conversation died almost as soon as it started, with only the whoosh of rushing air to accompany them. Edric wondered what Frederick was thinking about, but he had yet to invent a mind reading spell to find out.

After a few more minutes of flying, they left the edge of Bonesborough. The next area consisted of fields and scattered buildings. When their target was in sight, Frederick took the photo out to double check that they were at the right building. It seemed to check out, so they landed in front of the building.

The building was two stories tall, with white peeling paint on the walls. The few windows were smashed, and the front door was ajar. The grass around the house was overgrown, as if it hadn’t been cared for in at least six months.

“Got your sword?” Frederick asked as they walked towards the entrance.

“Yup.” Edric patted it on his hip.

“Be ready in case there’s trouble.” Frederick cast a spell as they reached the door, which caused a ball of light to appear in his hand. He stepped slowly into the house, leading with that light.

Edric cast a similar spell as he followed, creating a small beam of light that he could direct with his hand. Upon entering, Edric was hit with the overwhelming smell of mold. This building had clearly been abandoned for a while.

They started on the first floor, with Frederick leading the way. They looked in each of the rooms, checking for anything worth reporting back about. They didn’t find much besides dirt, dust, mold, cracks in the walls, and abandoned garbage.

In the kitchen, Edric tried to turn the sink on. Unsurprisingly, no water came out. “Utilities have been shut off.” He commented to Frederick, who nodded.

“It’s been empty for a while.” Frederick replied, scooping a layer dust off the counter with one finger and examining it closely. A bug skittered away towards the corner, causing Edric to flinch away. Frederick didn’t react to it. “Let’s check upstairs.” He said as he turned away from the counter and walked back towards the center of the building.

They then went up the stairs, with Frederick again in the lead. He took each step slowly, making sure that the whole thing wasn’t about to collapse under his feet. Even going second, Edric felt uneasy. He was getting a strange vibe from this place, was it haunted or something? It felt like residual magic as he walked up the stairs, but that shouldn’t have been the case.

At the top of the steps, there was a straight hallway with a few doors. Frederick went to the closer ones first, looking in at what looked like offices.

When they reached the end of the hallway, things started to go wrong.

Like he had for all the other rooms, Frederick stepped through the door first. This time though, unlike all the others, there was a reaction. A spot on the ground in the doorway glowed a moment after he stepped past. Edric backed away when he saw it, only making it half a step before the floor started to shake.

Frederick spun around when he felt it, but it was too late. “Get back!” He shouted, taking one futile step towards the door. The doorframe cracked and fell in before he could make it, parts of the walls and ceiling coming not long after. Shafts of light came in through the gaps. Edric backed even farther away, as the floor fragmented beneath his feet, bumping his back against the wall of the hallway. The rubble at the door fell through the floor, causing cracks to web out from the spot. A huge cloud of dust flew up when the rubble landed, making Edric cough and keeping him from seeing through.

“Frederick!” He called out between coughs, hoping the other witch would respond.

There was no reply.

Well, that was bad. Edric cast another light spell to try and get more light, though he knew it probably wouldn’t help.

After a minute, the floor stopped shaking.

For the time being, it seemed like the building was done collapsing. Slowly the dust started to settle, allowing Edric to see the damage. Where there had been a room before, there now was a huge hole in the ground and the walls. When Edric peered through it, he could see what looked like the kitchen below. It was full of rubble, pieces of the floor and walls that had fallen through. He couldn’t see Frederick, but he had to be down there.

Edric scrambled back to the stairs, running down to get to the rubble. When he reached the room, it looked even worse than from above.

“Hey, Frederick, you in there?” Edric called, pushing a slab closest to the door to move it. It was heaving, far too heavy to lift.

This time, he got a response. The sound of coughing, not usually welcome, guided Edric in the right direction. “I’m here.” Frederick’s voice was weaker than usual, though that could’ve been because it had to travel through the rubble. Edric moved towards the sound, stopping at a large pile of rubble.

“I’m gonna get you out.” Edric cast a net spell, then layered in a spell that enhanced muscle strength. It wasn’t one he used often, but he knew it. He slung the net over a particularly large rock, then tried to pull it out of position. Even with the strengthening spell, he wasn’t able to budge it.

Frederick coughed again, a rougher sound than before. “Stand back.” He said, which was not an instruction Edric really wanted to obey. “I’ll get it.”

“Are you sure?” Edric asked, switching to trying to move the boulder with his body. He cast the anti friction spell beneath it, but that only let him move it a few inches.

“Yes.” Frederick’s voice was clearer. “Go.”

Edric frowned, but complied. He stepped away from the pile of rubble, back to the doorway of the room. “Okay, I’m away.”

The sound that came next was so grating, Edric had to cover his ears and duck mostly out of the room. It seemed to be some kind of bard magic, radiating from the rubble.

Though it sounded awful, it worked wonders on the rocks and pieces of floor. They shook themselves apart, breaking into much smaller pieces. After a moment Frederick became visible underneath, his small foldable flute lifted to his lips. After a few moments he stopped playing, arms and flute dropping to his lap.

Edric crossed the room quickly, kneeling down next to him. “You okay?” He asked, knowing the answer was probably no.

Fredrick was taking deep breaths, likely trying to regain his strength himself. He lifted a hand, slowly, and cast a healing spell. “I’ll live. Are you hurt?”

Typical Frederick, worrying about him even after falling ten feet and almost being crushed to death. “No, I’m fine.” Edric wished he had mastered that healing spell. He plopped the rest of the way onto the ground, suddenly feeling exhausted.

“I’m glad.” Frederick cast a second healing spell, his hands already steadier than when he cast the first. “Do you know what triggered the collapse?” He asked, already in investigation mode despite still looking like he couldn’t stand.

Edric thought he might’ve. “There was a flash of light on the floor, right in the door.”

“Sounds like a spell.” Fredrick mused. He started to brush the dust and broken fragments off his clothes. “We should check it out.”

Edric didn’t move. “Just rest for a little.” He said, feeling like the rational voice in the room for the first time.

Frederick ignored him at first, but when he tried to stand he immediately sat back down with a grunt. “Fine, but just until I’m healed enough to move.” He cast another healing spell, with a larger spell circle this time.

“Yes sir.” Edric quipped in response, lightening his tone. It had been one crazy thing after another for the last week, with this as officially the wildest thing that happened so far. Hopefully nothing crazier happened, or he’d have to adjust that statement.

Edric picked up his knees and placed his arms on them, then lifted his mask to press his forehead against them. He closed his eyes, just for a minute, to calm his still racing heart. He could hear Frederick cast another spell beside him.

After a couple minutes, a rustling sound prompted Edric to open his eyes and sit up. Frederick was now on his feet, stretching his arms slowly.

“Let’s go.” Frederick said as his arms fell back to his sides. Edric rose to his feet slowly, muscles already complaining from his attempts to move the rubble earlier.

The two walked back through the house, heading back up the stairs. They did this even slower than before, since there was a higher risk of collapse. Luckily, the stairs held.

All of the dust had settled now, making a clearer image than before. The hole still looked huge, but Edric could see the ground around it much more clearly. Right at the edge, the floor looked to be fragmented strangely. The breaks at the edge were in straight lines and corners, while the cracks spreading away from the edge moved in random patterns. The sunlight was coming in strong through the new holes in the ceiling, so they didn’t need light spells to see properly.

“It was definitely a spell.” Frederick mused out loud as he examined the floor. “It must’ve been embedded in the floor.”

“Is that possible?” Edric had never heard of something like that. As far as he had learned, a witch needed to be present to cast a spell. Sure, small illusions could be triggered as traps, but they didn’t do anything except store an image. They didn’t have enough power to do something like this.

Frederick nodded. “It is, but only for the best of the best. A common witch couldn’t have done this. A trap this powerful can only be maintained for about a day.”

So it had to be a strong witch, one who had access to this building recently. That was strange though; the building had been abandoned.

“Wait.” Edric’s mind was spinning. “Are you saying a powerful witch tried to kill us?” If the spell had to be set recently, and the two of them had been assigned there that morning, wasn’t that the only logical conclusion?

“Not necessarily.” Frederick crossed his arms, stepping back from the hole in the ground. “I can’t imagine someone would try to attack you.”

That was where Frederick was mistaken. “I wasn’t the target.” Edric shook his head. “You were.” The pieces were starting to come together. He knew what was going on.

“The coven will investigate.” Frederick took out a piece of paper and started drawing the scene.

“Don’t tell them yet.” Edric said, drawing Frederick’s attention back to him.

Frederick sounded skeptical, doubtful. “Why not?” He was still working on his drawing.

“If you report it, they’ll cover their tracks. I have to find them before then.” Edric was confident that he knew who it was.

“You think this was an inside job? I’m not sure about that. It should be left to the coven.” Frederick insisted, abandoning his drawing to look fully at Edric.

“Do you trust me?” Edric countered with a question, an important one.

“Does that matter?”

Edric pushed harder. “Do you?” After all this time, it did.

Frederick sighed. “Yes.” He seemed reluctant to admit it, though that was only because Edric was pressuring him.

“Just tell them the building was abandoned. I’ll find out who did it.”

Reluctantly, Frederick agreed. Edric’s mind was churning again, this time running through plans.

He was going to need some help with this. Luckily, he knew just the witch for the job.

Next Chapter

[graham-janet]

Java Project Help

Java & J2EE

Java has emerged as the object-oriented programming language. We love to program in Java with having great knowledge of different software or IDE Netbeans, JetBrain and any other software.

Dot Net

Having a lot of experience and great knowledge in Dot Net love to do framework programming using ASP.Net, C# .Net and VB.Net.

Python

Python is simple and easy yet powerful language and our experts are amazing into python.

PHP

We provide PHP assignment help online from expert IT writers to the students.PHP is a server-side, Cross-platform, HTML embedded scripting language.

Artificial Intelligence

We sure you to make you more proficient in Artificial Intelligence which will carry you through a prosperous career by providing assistance in assignment help, project help as well as homework help.

What is Java Assignment Help?

Java Assignment Help is an online community of Computer Science. We provide assistance in research of Java. Our Java Programming & Project panel teachers are well qualified and highly experienced. They are freelancers from top universities and colleges from all over the world

Java Assignment Help also offers online tutoring, project help, homework and assignment help in all computer science subjects across the world.

We offer online assignment help to one-on-one and to a group also. And lastly, java assignment help has a great Customer Care team always ready to help you anytime. Students who are busy with the part-time jobs to finance their education should avail help from Java Assignment Help experts at affordable prices.